The Rosemaled Church and the Journey to Belong
An ocean-going ship has long been a metaphor for a journey, literal or spiritual, and model ships are still found in some Scandinavian Churches today. It was on a tall ship that immigrants from Scandinavia came to America, carrying their prized possessions in storage trunks, adorned with colorful flowers and vines – an art form called rosemaling.
In this episode we trace the origins of rosemaling in Norway and then in the United States, and learn about a group of rosemalers and parishioners who renovated the Glendale Lutheran Church chapel with rosemaling paintings.
But after 25 years, the congregation, largely of Scandinavian descent, moved away or passed away, leading eventually to the sale of the church property in Burien, Washington State (USA) in 2023. The rosemaled panels and decorations, which included a model ship, were given away or returned to their owners – one church received and hung up the ship in their building.
In this episode we trace the origins of rosemaling in Norway and then in the United States, and learn about a group of rosemalers and parishioners who renovated the Glendale Lutheran Church chapel with rosemaling paintings. But after 25 years, the congregation, largely of Scandinavian descent, moved away or passed away, leading eventually to the sale of the church property in Burien, Washington State (USA) in 2023. The rosemaled panels and decorations, which included a model ship, were given away or returned to their owners – one church received and hung up the ship in their building.
In this podcast, we talk to a handful of people who used to call Glendale Lutheran their spiritual home, and ask what that church life meant to them. We also meet someone from Prince of Peace Lutheran, who received the ship, and consider what “community” means in today’s world. Given the reduction in the membership of churches, synagogues, mosques, fraternal orders, and other groups where we traditionally found a place to belong, we consider where our spiritual ship will travel next in today’s world to find “community”.
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Links and Pictures
The Glendale Chapel (above) is now part of the property owned by Thien An, the True Living Church and is used by them as well as Ethiopian, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, and Latino congregations. Located in Burien, Washington State, USA. Photo by Eric Stavney.
Bjørg Oseid Kleivi is a professional rosemaler and instructor from the Telemark area of Norway who still travels the USA to give classes in rosemaling. She has written a number of books on rosemaling, including one (Decorative Painting from Norway) that features photos from the Glendale Lutheran Church when it was completed in the late 1990’s. As described in this podcast, Bjørg Kleivi created all the designs painted in the Glendale Chapel freehand, including 3 Bible verses on the walls and painting original designs over the doors and over the altar (using scaffolding). Photo of above the altar by Eric Stavney.
LEFT: The pulpit with the bookrest above, and the baptismal font whose top (with the cross) can be removed are decorated with rosemaled panels framed in light brown-orange wood. RIGHT: A detail of the rosemaling design (note the asymmetry typical of Telemark) and the sides of the pews where they were installed. Together with the 11 rosemalers of the Western Rosemaling Association, they painted over 100 panels. Photos by Eric Stavney.
The rosemalers from the Western Rosemaling Association who painted the panels (over 100 of them!) included (according to church records) Cheri Anderson, Beverly Huber, Bev Pedersen, Gary Colgren, Barbara Claboe, Karen Knutzen, Jean Wissler, Mimi Marshall, Gurine Nordby, Iva Schultz, Vesla Haris, and Kelly Sooter. A couple others also helped but their names were not recorded. Having had rosemaling lessons and attempted several pieces, I am in awe of the graceful style and blending of the colors in these panels.
Carl Hughes, a woodworker who made many of the “blanks” that rosemalers start with to create their lovely bowls, plates, and trays, also built the reliquary (ossuary) box that Bjorg Kleivi rosemaled. At press time, there were no saint’s bones yet stored inside. Photo contributed by Marilyn Hansen.
The panels along the communion rail were different than those in the pews, some very simple and others very ornate. Photo contributed by Marilyn Hansen.
Jerry Bains is credited with creating the altar cloth (above) with lovely Hardanger embroidery which involves cutwork and lacework to create geometric designs; Jerry incorporated crosses and chalices in the design. I’ve tried to do this kind of embroidery and am in awe of those who made these beautiful cloths. The painting over the altar was done by Bjørg Kleivi and Vesla Harris. Photo contributed by Marilyn Hansen.
LEFT, ABOVE: The votive ship in a “Danish” Viking ship design was made by Tim Bergren, who was a student at Pacific Lutheran University in the late 1990s. MIDDLE, ABOVE: Note Bergren used the clinker or lapstrake method of overlapping hull planks, just as on a real Viking ship. The planks were probably steamed to make them pliable and bent to curve and meet at the bow, which is evidence of Bergren’s exquisite craftsmanship. Here’s how a Danish boat-building school does this. As of 2023, Tim Bergren is making lovely pieces and sculptures for churches as owner/artist of Rocky Mountain Rustic.
RIGHT, ABOVE: The shields along the sides were rosemaled soup can lids painted by Cheri Anderson and Kelly Sooter using Telemark (assymetrical) style. The ship, along with a rosemaled pew, have now “docked” at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Burien, Washington. Photos by Eric Stavney.
It was rather sad watching the pews being removed, but several were at least headed to other church homes, including Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Burien, WA USA. And this church continues to to serve as a place of worship for other congregations; they just needed a different seating arrangement. Photo by Eric Stavney.
Want to join a group or try one out, to see if it’s a good fit in belonging? There are many hobby groups including music (singing, bands, orchestra), informal sports, fraternal orders or associations, and religious organizations. How about volunteering? – this is how I’ve met people who are now my friends. You don’t need to have any special skills for most of them. Ask someone or try searching for volunteers online, needed in your area. Start a group – you only need to ask one person to get started. 🙂 Drop us a line at nordicontap@gmail.com and we may be able to suggest groups in your area.
Want to learn rosemaling? These are sometimes held at Sons or Daughters of Norway lodges, Scandinavian museums like the Vesterheim in Iowa, USA or the National Nordic Museum in Seattle, WA USA.
Then there are the associations, with great support, new patterns, and ideas on this folk art. The Western Rosemalers Association keeps the tradition and education alive on the West Coast. I know the Wisconsin State Rosemalers Association is going strong – I enjoyed their newsletter when I was a member. See this web page for a list of other organizations.
Rosemalingclasses.com lists where to find an in-person class, or take one online. There are also many excellent YouTube recordings of how to get started with this fun hobby, where you buy your own materials and learn from the instructor. Lots of examples of completed rosemaling online as well.
LEFT, ABOVE: Marilyn Hansen demonstrates how to brace your hand in order to smoothly paint flowers or leaves during one of her rosemaling classes in 2015. RIGHT, ABOVE: Several carrying boxes or tines are in the foreground and at left (with the red and plain wood handles) and plates, boxes, boxes, and wooden shoes. Several styles are shown hear, mostly symmetrical. Marilyn is a professional rosemaler who is also a member of my Sons of Norway lodge. She’s the one who first told me about the Glendale rosemaled church. Photo by Eric Stavney.
LEFT, ABOVE: Kaja Englund was another great rosemaler in my Sons of Norway Lodge. I have several of her pieces on my wall at home. She was a cheerful and fun person who unfortunately passed away some years ago. RIGHT, ABOVE: A closeup of the graceful C and S shapes in rosemaling, with red “scrolls” (see the twist at the end), curving green leaves, and thin, graceful white highlighting ending in buds, curls, or dewdrops. Note also the exquisite blending between the edges of the red curves – one edge dark, the other edge light, with a gradient int a medium tone in the middle. I regret I don’t know who the artist is. Photo by Eric Stavney.
Enjoyed the podcast. One suggestion the Western Rosemalers Association (which Marilyn is a member of too) is a local group keeping the traditions alive through education and classes too. http://www.westernrosemalers.com/
Hey – thank you so much for writing a comment. I rarely hear from listeners out there. I will add the WRA as a link on the episode page – I definitely want to promote this organization. I was a member of the Wisconsin Rosemalers Association for a year or two when I was in grad school and loved the newletters and new patterns.
If you are around the Seattle Area in the holiday season, I’ll be at the National Nordic Museum’s Julefest if you go to that (Nov 18-19). I’ll be helping the performers on stage as emcee, but would be pleased to meet you during their sets. Please come say hello.
Eric
I went to Glendale Lutheran as a child. Wondering what happened to the Hardanger embroidery pieces that last hung framed in the chapel there. I learned Hardanger embroidery from a woman who attended First Lutheran in West Seattle, Corine O’Takie.
Hi Jan,
The Hardanger embroidery pieces were made by Jerry Bains, as I understand it. The last people of the original congregation, in charge of moving out the furniture, paintings, and such, attempted to give back anything made by a church member to that member, or their families. I believe I heard Jerry’s family received the intricately embroidered altar cloth. That, and any other hardanger embroidery had already been removed when I saw the chapel. I would guess those embroideries that were hanging in frames were returned to the maker’s families too. It looks like Corrine Otakie still lives over near Alki Point and is in her 80s.
I had admired rosmaling ‘from a far’ all my life. When we traveled to Norway we stayed at a very old ski lodge and on our floor were several desks and chests with rosmaling. They were so beautiful! We recently saw some lovely rosmaling at the ScanFair in Portland.
My husband is Norwegian & Swedish and I am Swedish, Norwegian and French. Thank you for sharing this wonderful story of rosemaling, the people and the beautiful church. I thoroughly enjoyed it all.
Thank you Cheryl for letting me know how you feel about rosemaling, as well as the stories of the people at this church. I really appreciate the feedback! -Eric