Central Coast Feather Fanciers watched Beth Ostapiuk, http://www.mypysankaeggs.com/, demonstrate her Ukrainian Pysanka egg decorating at last night's meeting. Truly, creating these amazing artworks seems impossible, but she made it accessible to all of us. 
These are done with chicken eggs, but she works with any kind of eggs, as large as an ostrich egg or as small as a cockatiel's! This folk art dates back thousands of years. The designs have traditional symbolic meanings and the eggs are used as talismans. Much of the symbolism relates to the Eastern Orthodox Church and Christian symbols, such as triangles and nets symbolizing the Holy Trinity and Fishers of Men. Birds are symbols of fertility and wishes fulfilled.
The process is like a batik, using wax to prevent dye from taking hold in sections of the design as successive layers of different color dyes are applied.
Goose eggs are best to work with overall, but Beth solicited the group for any eggs they may be able to provide. Grocery store eggs often have markings on them or other substances that make them less desirable as Pysanka Eggs.
Beth teaches the art through local education programs. You can also learn more about it at http://www.learnpysanky.com/.
These are done with chicken eggs, but she works with any kind of eggs, as large as an ostrich egg or as small as a cockatiel's! This folk art dates back thousands of years. The designs have traditional symbolic meanings and the eggs are used as talismans. Much of the symbolism relates to the Eastern Orthodox Church and Christian symbols, such as triangles and nets symbolizing the Holy Trinity and Fishers of Men. Birds are symbols of fertility and wishes fulfilled.
The process is like a batik, using wax to prevent dye from taking hold in sections of the design as successive layers of different color dyes are applied.
Goose eggs are best to work with overall, but Beth solicited the group for any eggs they may be able to provide. Grocery store eggs often have markings on them or other substances that make them less desirable as Pysanka Eggs.
Beth teaches the art through local education programs. You can also learn more about it at http://www.learnpysanky.com/.
1 comment:
Wonderful! I marvel at the skill and patience it must take to create these works of art.
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