Intro to Kolrosing
Thursday 1/15
6:30-9:00 pm
At its simplest, kolrosing is the art of cutting a very thin incision into a wooden surface, filling it with pigmented powder like coffee or cinnamon to reveal the pattern, and burnishing the cut closed to create a smooth and durable decoration. It is a wonderful way to decorate woodenware such as spoons, spreaders, and plates because it doesn’t catch food, but can also be used on any flat wooden surface. Join Liesl Chatman to learn more about this very old but accessible craft.
Tuition: $45 per participant
Materials Fee: $15 to be paid to instructor, covers use of tools and material. Students will have opportunity to purchase a kit should they wish to explore kolrosing on their own.
Optional Tools to Bring: Personal Carving Knife
Age: 13+
Ability Level: Open to anyone who can safely use a carving/whittling knife. Please bring your magnification (readers!) if needed for close up work.
Liesl Chatman As a traditional folk artist, teacher, and amateur folklorist, Liesl is on a mission to rekindle the accessible and enjoyable traditional decorative folk art of kolrosing (think of kolrosing as tattooing wood). She is an accomplished spoon carver, and her kolrosed spoons have been exhibited at museums including a one-woman show of 35 illustrated story spoons at the American Swedish Institute. She was the 2023 Folk Artist-in-Residence at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a 2024 American Scandinavian Foundation Fellow.
What to Expect: Students will have a chance to practice making their own marks with a kolrosing knife and get a feel for the many possibilities kolrosing offers for anyone interested in woodworking, drawing, and traditional Suitable for ages 13+.
Accessibility: CENTER FOR PEOPLE AND CRAFT is committed to building a diverse, inclusive learning community where people of all backgrounds feel welcome and able to participate. As we launch our first workshop series, we are dedicating space in each class for reduced-tuition scholarships to support anyone facing financial barriers. As we build a more robust scholarship program, we hope this initial launch will remove barriers and expand access to hands-on learning for all.
Anyone with financial need is encouraged to apply for a half-tuition scholarship. To be considered, please submit a brief online application. Please note that CENTER FOR PEOPLE AND CRAFT is operating with limited financial resources and an entirely volunteer staff. Therefore, we cannot guarantee a spot for every applicant. Each class has one scholarship slot available. Applicants who are not selected in this current round are welcome to reapply. Apply here
Cancellation Policy: CPC is able to provide refunds up to two weeks before the start date of the class for which the registration was submitted, though we do retain a $20 fee for return payment processing. If you need to cancel your class within the two week window, a refund is not guaranteed, but will be considered based on several factors.
If CPC needs to cancel a class due to low enrollment, teacher illness, or other factors, you will receive a full refund.