Tara Austin, recent folk-artist-in-residence at the Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures, received her MFA in painting from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2017. Currently working as a practicing artist and instructor, Austin teaches rosemaling throughout the Upper Midwest, including at North House Folk School and the American Swedish Institute. Her work is inspired by the boreal ecosystem of the Upper Midwest and draws from botanical and natural beauty. Originating in Norway, rosemaling has developed and changed over time and space and Austin’s work—inspired by Norwegian and Norwegian American rosemaling styles, Swedish folk painting, scenic painting and faux finishing, and reverse painting on glass—has been exhibited in galleries throughout the region.
Austin’s work has been featured in galleries and exhibitions throughout the Upper Midwest, including exhibitions at Vesterheim Museum in Decorah, Iowa; the Joseph Nease Gallery in Duluth, Minnesota; and the Johnson Heritage Post Gallery in Grand Marais, Minnesota.
Join UW’s Nordic Folklife project on Friday, September 25 for a conversation with celebrated artist Tara Austin as she shares her perspectives on traditional art, inspiration and innovation, identity, and place. Austin received her MFA from UW-Madison in 2017 and was the 2026 Artist-in-Residence at UW’s Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures.
Co-sponsored by CSUMC, Nordic Folklife Project, GNS+, and the Folklore Program.