What is Folk Art?
As an introduction to our new members, and for the edification of those who have never thought to ask, here
is a short piece to explain what it is all about. (Extracted and edited from the ‘Painting Styles’ page of our
web site - badfablog.blogspot.com)
Decorative Painting
Whatever their methods, techniques, or media, all decorative artists have a place in the British Association
of Decorative and Folk Arts.
Decorative and Folk Arts are diverse art forms, utilising a variety of techniques and media to decorate
functional and non-functional surfaces. Contemporary decorative painting is a teachable art form because of
the systematic method that is employed. It allows a high degree of success without necessary academic
training or inherent drawing ability.
Today in addition to the folk art styles of many countries such as Norway, Sweden, Germany, Russia,
England, Mexico, contemporary decorative art includes facets of painting such as stucco, stencilling,
bronzing, gold leafing, country painting, faux finishes and graining.
Countries and Areas of Painting
Classic French - Decor Folklorique
Very delicate, following the designs and styles of tapestries with
bows, trailing stems and ornate scrolls; used on ceramics and
furniture.
Backgrounds are sometimes crackled or marbled, with pale
colours (white/cream), and gold embellishment. Usually pale ‘old
gold’ on furniture, a very ‘watercolour’ type painting; roses, tulips,
bows, trailing small leaves and tendrils. ‘Tole Peinte’ – Painted tin-
ware – milk churns, smoothing irons, jugs, trunks, trays etc.
Swedish
Very simple pale but with delicate black outlining and scroll type
leaves. Geometric banded borders. Woodwork left pale and
natural. Swedish roses are often elongated (stroke type.)
Norway – Rosemaling (rose
painting)
Bright vivid colours on dark
Taken from Debra Kneen’s
background, with shapes
Folk Art of France
outlined in white or black.
Leaves painted solidly as scroll shapes, Roses are very stylised stroke
work.
All Rosemaling is stroke-work at its finest.
Norway’s mountainous terrain resulted in three types of Rosemailing :
Hallingdal – Baroque style characterised by strong symmetrical designs
and bold lines.
Telemark - flowing and asymmetrical with intricate shading and linework.
Rogaland - developed on the south west coast where traders brought
oriental influences, delicate crosshatching and more realism.
Netherlands - Hindeloopen
Tulips, stroke roses, round petal flowers, landscapes, figures and birds.
Floral and leaf borders, scrolls and bows. Flowers and leaves outlined in a
darker colour.
Rosemaling
Eastern European (Ukranian/Slavic)
Painting follows the same designs as the embroider found on skirts and