Tara Austin: Boreal Ornament

Tara Austin earned an MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Painting. Her early years in Grand Marais, MN instilled an appreciation of botany and a keen observation of patterns in the natural environment. Reflecting on her experiences in the Midwest, South America, and Europe, Tara seeks to communicate a form of natural beauty.

Her paintings are inspired by rosemaling, a traditional form of decorative folk art that originated in the rural valleys of Norway. Incorporating techniques from faux painting and reverse painting on glass, Tara hybridizes traditional techniques with a contemporary perspective. These customary processes became a means for developing a personal aesthetic focused on traditions of geometry, harmony, and craftsmanship.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.