National Norwegian-American Folk Art Exhibition | Vesterheim Norwegian-American

National Norwegian-American Folk Art Exhibition | Vesterheim Norwegian-American
National Norwegian-American Folk Art Exhibition
National Norwegian-American Folk Art Exhibition
The National Norwegian-American Folk Art Exhibition
features contemporary artists who create folk art rooted in the Norwegian traditions of rosemaling, woodworking, weaving, metalworking, and knifemaking. The mission of this exhibition, on view during the summer at Vesterheim in Decorah, Iowa, is to encourage and inspire emerging and established folk artists to further develop their Norwegian craft. Artists submit work for evaluation by a team of judges, who offer feedback on their entries and award ribbons, which carry points that accumulate toward a Vesterheim Gold Medal.
This is a great chance to s
howcase your artwork in a gallery exhibit, receive judging feedback, and offer your pieces for sale while celebrating and uplifting Norwegian handcraft!
All the information you need to enter is listed on this webpage! Read through the rules and regulations, print out the entry and label forms, and mail or deliver them to Vesterheim with your entries and entry payment from May 1-20, 2026.
We look forward to seeing your pieces and sharing your artwork at Vesterheim!
How to Enter
Read through the rules and regulations, print out the entry forms, and mail or deliver them to Vesterheim with your entry(s) and your entry payment from May 1-20, 2026.
You will need to print the PDF Entry Form and Identification Labels for EACH entry.
(If you would like forms mailed to you, contact Lauryn Johnson at
[email protected]
or 563-382-9681, ext 221. Please provide the number of entry forms you will need. Also, the PDFs are fillable forms, so if you wish, you can type your answers and then print.)
2026 Exhibition Entry Form
2026 Object Identification Label
2026 Exhibition Rules PDF
2026 Credit Card Information PDF
Read through the rules and regulations, print out the entry forms, and mail or deliver them to Vesterheim with your entry(s) and your entry payment from May 1-20, 2026.
Judges review pieces anonymously. In order to maintain this anonymity, please refrain from showing your piece publicly until after this exhibition.
You will need to print the PDF Entry Form and Identification Labels for EACH entry. (If you would like forms mailed to you, contact Lauryn Johnson at
[email protected]
or 563-382-9681. Please provide the number of entry forms you will need. Also, the PDFs are fillable forms, so if you wish, you can type your answers and then print.)
The following rules apply to all folk art categories.
(Special rules and standards for separate categories are listed below the general rules.)
Please read carefully!
Entry Dates:
May 1- 20, 2026
Exhibition Dates:
June 12 through July 25 in Vesterheim’s Museum Building. Ribbons will be placed next to winning entries on Thursday, July 23, when the exhibition opens to the public, except for the People’s Choice Award, which will be revealed at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 25.
Who May Enter:
Any living artist who has resided in the U.S. or Canada for the past five years.
Entries:
Artists may enter four items per category for judging (rosemaling, weaving, woodworking, knifemaking, and blacksmithing).
Entries must have been completed in the last three years and not entered in any previous Vesterheim exhibition or show.
All aspects of an entry must highlight the artist’s unique and personal technical skills and design decisions, so work partially or entirely created under supervision or in a class is not allowed in the exhibition.
Instructors cannot enter pieces created for instruction.
Vesterheim and the judges are solely responsible for deciding whether an entry upholds the rules of the exhibition.
Vesterheim reserves the right to remove any entries that do not follow the rules of the exhibition, and the entries will be returned at the artist’s expense.
Update About Cadmium Paint Colors
Previously, Minnesota state law prohibited the sale of goods if they contained lead or cadmium. Minnesota has since amended this law allowing an exemption for artist-grade paints with cadmium. This exemption means that artists can now ship their pieces with Cadmium Red and Cadmium Yellow paints to Vesterheim for exhibition entry, and Vesterheim can now ship pieces to buyers and artists in Minnesota after the show! The statute is available at www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/325E.3892.
There is a $25 fee per entry. The entry fee is $10 for Vesterheim Gold Medalists submitting entries in the category for which they hold a medal.
Pack carefully
– UPS guidelines suggest two-inch, non-slip packing materials in all directions between object and box. The identification label must be attached to the object. In the case of weavings, the label must be lightly sewn to the back (no pins or staples please). In the case of rosemaling, use masking or painter’s tape. Choose your tape carefully because strong tape, such as packing tape, can peel paint from your item.
Send labeled entry and entry fee to:
Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum
Attn. Lauryn Johnson, Folk Art Exhibition
502 W. Water St.
Decorah, IA 52101
Or deliver your entry in person between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. daily to the Westby-Torgerson Education Center or Museum Store (502 W. Water St., Decorah, IA).
Objects may be picked up between 5:00-7:00 p.m., Saturday, July 25, or 9:00-11:00 a.m., Sunday, July 26, in the exhibition area in the Museum Building. Also, they may be picked up during the following week between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. in the Museum Building. Objects that cannot be picked up will be returned by UPS or other service and the artist will be billed for shipping and insurance costs. For pieces that are sold, the purchaser will be responsible for picking up their entries or arranging for shipment.
Vesterheim will offer direct gallery sales throughout the exhibition. Artists who wish to sell their work during the exhibition must provide a sale price on the registration form.
Prices will be listed on the object labels and exhibition sales will take place during normal museum hours starting at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, June 12, and ending on Saturday, July 25, at 5:00 p.m. Objects may be picked up after 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 25. Shipping may be available on some items.
Vesterheim retains 25% of the sale price, and the remaining 75% of the sale price will be sent to the submitting artist. For insurance purposes, the sale price amount will serve as the declared value. Artists not selling their work will need to declare the insurance value for their entries on the registration form.
JUDGING:
Two or three judges, including specialists in each area of folk art, evaluate the entries for each category. The role of the judges is to provide positive and helpful feedback on entries and to award ribbons for exceptional work. The judges’ decisions about ribbons are final. Judges are selected based on their technical skills and knowledge. Judges review pieces anonymously. In order to maintain this anonymity, please refrain from showing your piece publicly until after this exhibition. Judges agree to remain unbiased and impartial when judging entries that may have been viewed at other shows, on social media, or through participation in other organizations prior to the
National Exhibition
. The names of the judges will be made public, along with ribbon results, on July 23, 2026.
The judging process will be filmed, and artists will receive links to view videos about their entries . These videos will not be made public in 2026 without permission of the artist. Artists without digital access may receive written comments upon request. Videos or written comments will be available three weeks after the close of the exhibition.
Categories with fewer than five entries from a minimum of three artists, who have not yet been awarded a Gold Medal, will be deemed not viable and will not be judged. Entries submitted in categories deemed not viable will be returned to the artist, and the window of eligibility will be extended by two years to ensure that these entries can be submitted again at the next National Exhibition. Submissions by Gold Medalists in categories deemed not viable will also be returned, and the window of eligibility will also be extended. Entry fees for entries submitted to categories deemed not viable will be refunded.
AWARDS:
In each category, judges may award blue, red, and white ribbons accompanied by a cash award and a corresponding number of points.
Blue Ribbon: $100 and 3 points
Red Ribbon: $75 and 2 points
White Ribbon: $50 and 1 point
In addition to these ribbons, judges may also award Honorable Mention ribbons, which are given to encourage artists to keep working and developing their craft.
Judges may award more than one ribbon of each color, but they are not required to award any ribbons if they believe the entries do not meet exhibition standards outlined in the exhibition rules. To see examples of ribbon winning work, please visit goldmedalist.vesterheim.org.
Once an artist accumulates eight points in a category over successive exhibitions, they are awarded a
Vesterheim Gold Medal
. Although Gold Medal winners cannot compete for ribbons in future exhibitions, they are eligible for the Best of Show and People’s Choice Awards and are encouraged to participate.
Honorable Mention, Best of Show, and People’s Choice Awards carry no points toward a Gold Medal.
Best of Show Award:
One Best of Show Award is given by the judges to the single most exceptional pieces of folk art in each judged category (rosemaling, weaving, woodworking, knifemaking, and blacksmithing).
People’s Choice Award
: Visitors to the exhibition may vote for their favorite piece in each category (rosemaling, weaving, woodworking, knifemaking, and blacksmithing). The votes are tallied at the end of the final day of the exhibition, and the winner receives a ribbon.
Vesterheim reserves the right to photograph any object submitted to the competition for any use. Photography of exhibition entries by the public is permitted for personal, noncommercial use only. Artists have the right to take legal action against any unauthorized commercial use.
Rosemaling – 56th year
SPECIAL RULES AND JUDGING STANDARDS:
Rosemalers must indicate the regional style or styles that best fits their entry. Accepted styles include: American Rogaland, Aust-Agder/Setesdal, Gudbrandsdal, Hordaland, Numedal, Old Rogaland/Ryfylke, Oppdal, Os, Østerdal, Hallingdal, Sogn, Nordfjord, Rococo, Romsdal, Telemark/Raudsaumsmaling, Trøndelag, Valdres, Viksdal, and Vest-Agder.
The painted area must be at least 8 inches in diameter and contain enough decoration to demonstrate the artist’s technique and design skill. Vesterheim may add a hanging device to any plate or flat piece if one is not provided.
Rosemaling must be painted on wood, using the artist’s own design, and completed independently (not in a class or under supervision). Inspiration from other works is allowed. Entries should reflect the stylistic characteristics of traditional rural Norwegian painting (ca. 1700–1875) or clearly express the features of accepted newer styles.
If a piece is inspired by a specific historical object, the artist must provide reference information on the entry form (e.g., photocopy with book citation, museum collection number or photo).
Judging Criteria: Judges will evaluate color, design, technique, and overall impact.
Update About Cadmium Paint Colors
Previously, Minnesota state law prohibited the sale of goods if they contained lead or cadmium. Minnesota has since amended this law allowing an exemption for artist-grade paints with cadmium. This exemption means that artists can now ship their pieces with Cadmium Red and Cadmium Yellow paints to Vesterheim for exhibition entry, and Vesterheim can now ship pieces to buyers and artists in Minnesota after the show! The statute is available at www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/325E.3892.
Weaving- 41st Year
SPECIAL RULES AND JUDGING STANDARDS:
Judges will award ribbons by division. Weavers should select the division—Traditional or Contemporary—that best fits their entry, though judges may reassign divisions. If entry numbers are too low, all pieces will be judged together.
Traditional entries must follow historical techniques, colors, and materials and may adapt old pieces. Contemporary entries may depart from historical practice through technique, color, or materials but must retain recognizable traditional elements. All weavings must be the artist’s own original work and created without supervision. The intended function must be listed on the entry form.
Accepted styles include: billedvev/pictorial tapestry, damask, dobbeltvev/doubleweave, krokbragd/boundweave, rutevev/geometric tapestry, rosepath, rya, skillbragd, tavlebragd/monksbelt, Telemarksvev, Vestfold technique, pick-up bandweaving, tablet weaving, and bead weaving. Basketweaving is not permitted.
If a piece is inspired by a specific historical object, the artist must provide reference information on the entry form (e.g., photocopy with book citation, museum collection number or photo).
Judging Criteria: Judges will evaluate overall impact, design, technique, and appropriateness of materials and finishing. They will examine both sides of the weaving, so the backing must be open in one section. Award-winning entries will show strong technical skill, an understanding of aesthetic and functional requirements, and personal creativity within Norwegian weaving traditions.
Woodworking – 41st year
SPECIAL RULES AND JUDGING STANDARDS:
Ribbons will be awarded in each division. Artists should select the division that best fits their entry; judges may reassign divisions as needed. If entry numbers are too low, all divisions will be judged together. The four divisions are:
1.
Deep-relief carving (acanthus, dragon-style, flatskurd, baroque, rococo)
2. Shallow-relief/surface embellishment (chip carving, kolrosing, kroting, svidekor)
3. Figure carving (three-dimensional or relief figures)
4. Open division (ale hens, carved bowls, natural-form functional pieces, turned, bentwood, and stave containers)
Entries must use techniques or stylistic elements rooted in Norwegian folk art. Contemporary experimentation with forms, colors, or techniques is welcome as long as some part of the piece reflects tradition. Work must be independently executed and large enough to demonstrate technical and aesthetic skill.
All carving and decoration must be done by the entering artist. For Divisions 1 and 2, artists may carve or decorate wooden forms made by another source; in Divisions 3 and 4, the artist must make and decorate the entire piece. The design source must be listed on the registration form.
If a piece is inspired by a specific historical object, the artist must provide reference information on the entry form (e.g., photocopy with book citation, museum collection number or photo).
Judging Criteria: Judges will evaluate technique, design, and overall impact.
Knifemaking – 29th year
SPECIAL RULES AND JUDGING STANDARDS:
Knives and sheaths must reflect techniques or stylistic characteristics of Norwegian knifemaking. Artists may use non-traditional materials, but the overall form must remain within Norwegian sheath-knife traditions. All components except the blade must be made solely by the entering artist. Handle and sheath materials must be listed on the registration form.
If a piece is inspired by a specific historical object, the artist must provide reference information on the entry form (e.g., photocopy with book citation, museum collection number or photo).
Judging Criteria: Judges will evaluate both functional and aesthetic qualities, including the technique and design of the knife and sheath, as well as overall impression.
Metalworking – 5th year
SPECIAL RULES AND JUDGING STANDARDS:
The Blacksmithing category (formally known as metalworking) includes only forged iron and steel work. Traditional examples include cooking utensils, hardware (such as locks and hinges), and candle holders. Artists may mount their hardware on wooden items for display purposes, but the wood does not need to be artist-made.
Contemporary interpretations are allowed as long as the work shows a clear connection to traditional Norwegian metalwork. Fantasy-style “Viking” or “Norse” weapons are not permitted, but pieces based on documented historical swords or axes are acceptable.
If a piece is inspired by a specific historical object, the artist must provide reference information on the entry form (e.g., photocopy with book citation, museum collection number or photo).
Judging Criteria: Judges will evaluate the overall quality of the forging, how well the item functions for its intended purpose (such as locks operating properly or hinges opening and closing smoothly), the technical skill demonstrated, the design and execution of any decorative elements, and whether th
e finish is both appropriate to the object’s use and visually satisfying.
Entry Dates:
May 1-20, 2026
Exhibition Dates:
June 12-July 25, 2026
Exhibit Sales:
9:00 a.m. on June 12, ending on July 25 at 5:00 p.m.
Questions? Contact:
Lauryn Johnson
[email protected]
563.382.9681, ext. 221
Support is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Iowa Arts Council, which exists within the Iowa Economic Development Authority.