Stacey Ann- Contemporary Norweigan Folk Artist
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I am a contemporary Norwegian folk artist who grew up in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Nature was my second home, and when I couldn't be outside, I found a way to bring it indoors, similar to what my ancestors would have done with their folk art in the fjords of Norway. It was only recently that I was called to pursue a career in the folk arts, studying rosemaling, a traditional style of Norwegian painting that is dying off.
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From an early age, I was constantly creating; from constructing cardboard houses to designing clothing out of bubble wrap, there was not a style to make that I didn’t like. While attending the University of Wyoming in 2015, where I received my BFA in cast metals, my love for a multitude of mediums continued, it was in my DNA to make. Lithography, metal smithing, casting, and later on rosemaling, were all favored ways to express this need to make a physical representation of my thoughts. During this time, I also received my BA in Art Education, and have spent the past sevaral years as a teaching artist in Colorado.
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While attending university, I had an awakening and rediscovered my Norwegian heritage that had long since been forgotten. This moment was when I finally found the medium that was meant for me. I received multiple grants to study at Vesterheim: Norwegian- American Museum and Folk Art School where I was able to dive into the intricate designs and techniques my ancestors once did so easily. In 2020, Vesterheim Museum purchased one of my rosemaled branches to be in their permanent collection as an example of what non-traditional folk art can look like.
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While completing my Master's Program for Columbia University, I was able to break free from hundred year old traditions and make a style that is uniquely mine. It was also in New York that I found a new passion, working in the gallery.
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I am currently the Gallery and Programs Director at the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center where I get to work with other artist and still practice making art myself.