Workshop: Kolrosing with Darlene Fossum-Martin

Kolrosing is a very old method of giving fine-line surface decoration to wood. It started with simply using the tip of one’s belt knife to make fine decorative cuts and rubbing coal dust into it to bring out the pattern (hence the name kol-rosing). Kolrosing was not fine art. It was decoration for everyday items (such as spoons, small bowls and cups). Such things were used until they wore out, and then were thrown away.

Contemporary kolrosing is not limited to traditional patterns — any design that can be drawn with a pencil can be done with a kolrosing knife, from simple borders to animal forms. For this class we will be focusing on Norwegian, Saami and Celtic designs.