PROFITABLE HOBBY

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 13014, 4 December 1942, Page 3

PROFITABLE HOBBY

aCQU IBED AT 70 YEARS BALING NORWEGIAN ART „robably have a hobby. It T J anything from collecting ' 3 - to hooking nigs. But, will one between the ages of <L says Richard H. Sundby 'i Christian Science Monitor. " l C Severson, of Stoughton, Mr3 nsin at that age, has adopted probably is one of the world's J a nd most fascinating hobbies. paling, it is called. paling is Scandinavia's dis- . d ve contribution to the realm of ''l t i C creation. You may say, withThurting anyone's feelings, "Never , of if The Encyclopedia Jannica doesn't list it. Your dieL y probably skips from'roselle ,' ,i rose mallow." Rosemaling is Lon wood chests, platters, plates, l, ing boxes, spoons, chairs, tables in short, on almost any flat, rtodea surface.

In Norway, walls, mantels, and et her eye-apparent spots are decor,ied with the flowery, curling patterns that make up rosemaling.

Though Mrs Severson is probably America's eldest expert at rosemaljJ?, others are more widely known Han she. Per Lysne of Stoughton is, 8j Mrs Severson phrases it, "the master-painter." His works embellish the homes of many distinguished Americans, including that of Lynn Fontanne and Alfred Lunt.

It doesn't seem strange to Mrs Severson that, at her age, she should bare a profitable hobby. And her tusband makes some of the wood plates and utensils for her to paint. Brightly-coloured chairs, tables decorated down to the very legs, and oright-hued plates with heart-warm-•jg messages of hospitality painted a them, contribute their charm to siniost every room in the Severson

Rosemaling allows the depictor complete freedom of choice in patlern and'design. He or she may draw from varied sources for inspiration. Some patterns are distributed ky the "Husflidsforening" club in Xorway. Mrs Severson received Printed, examples from Stavanger tee the war started, she says.

Heirloom trunks and dowry chests SO or 400 years old sometimes are tad in attics, or, in some cases, are stil in use. To their faded patterns Mrs Seyerson turns for "fresh" ideas.

Though energetic Mrs Severson