The Os tray was painted in 2002 using JoSonja acrylics on a Smoked Pearl background. It was also featured in a Kooler article. I designed the tray after my trip on the 2001 Vesterheim Rosemaling Tour. I love this tray and have painted it with many different designs. The tray measures 18” x 10 5/8” x 2 ¾” which includes short legs.
Os is located in the Hordaland flyke just south of Bergen. Johannes Johannessen Tveiteras (1763-1842) is perhaps the first rosemalers from this area. One of his two sons, Nil Tveiteras Midhus (1795-1875) moved to Os in 1820 where he developed his distinctively different style. He combined Telemark elements with geometric designs and old Hordaland motifs. White, blue or red backgrounds with bright design colors were typical. His son, Annanias Midthus Tveit (1847-1924) further developed the tradition with great creativity and love of color. Rosemaling bloomed late in this area and didn’t reach its peak until the turn of the 20th Century.
I based this geometric design on the work of Annanias M. Tveit, incorporating a diamond shape in the center. Sometimes there were squares or rectangles used with flowers and leaves flowing out from the edges of this center area.
The packet includes four pages of instruction, two enlarged photographs and the line drawing.
