My Pysanky

Pysanky is the Ukrainian art of dyeing eggs using a wax resist method.  I learned how to make them in April 2002 at my grandmother's church.  It is a common tradition to dye them around Easter.  I am half Ukrainian, so it is nice to be able to continue this part of my heritage.  My designs are different than some of the traditional pysanky---my work tends to resemble some of my abstract drawings or some of the finer details in my watercolor paintings.  Traditional pysanky uses many common motifs that have historical meanings, generally presented in a symmetrical manner.   Mine are more of a free-form type of design, often non-symmetrical.  During the school year of 2003-2004, I was even able to teach ten of my art students how to create their own pysanky.  If you would like to read more about it, follow the link to the text I wrote when I taught this art.

History of Pysanky Text

 

Below are some examples of my own pysanky.  Click on each thumbnail to see an enlarged view.  

A few more examples can be seen in pictures of my Family Tree, upon which I display my pysanky in my home.

pysankycolorful copy.jpg (96922 bytes)
Pysanky, 2002 (chicken eggs)
 

This is an ostrich egg.  It is the largest egg I've ever done.  It was completed April 2004.  There is a trilobite of my own design on one side (first picture).  It's legs stretch around the sides (second picture) and form the border of an eye (third picture).  The last picture is of the bottom.

pysanky ostrich egg trilobite.jpg (86987 bytes)  pysanky ostrich egg side.jpg (97460 bytes)  pysanky ostrich egg eye.jpg (89771 bytes)  pysanky ostrich egg bottom.jpg (90225 bytes)
Ostrich pysanka with trilobite design, 2004

 

P.S.  I have noticed a lot of people misspelling the word Ukrainian.  They are writing it without the first "i", like "Ukranian."  If you have accidentally misspelled it in your search, you will probably be able to find even more information about the Ukraine if you spell it "Ukrainian".

 

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