I am very glad to see the arrival of spring! I have been down and out with yet another chest/head cold which is finally following winter out the door!
I have not been painting watercolours but did exchange my paintbrush for a kistka and managed to finish my first Ukrainian Easter Egg of 2009. (Okay, so I chose a fairly easy design for my first one, but I love the poppies)
These are traditionally called Pysanky (pronounced peh-san-keh with the emphasis on the "peh") and I have been making them every year since I was a a youngster. Taught by my grandmother, my mom and I now try to make them (although my mom seems to be practising secretly because her eggs are looking better and better every year!)
Basically, this craft is a dye and wax resist applied directly onto raw chicken eggs (or goose or ostrich etc) The designs are made up of various Ukrainian symbols and colours, all which carry different meanings; spirituality, life, health, prosperity, fertility etc.
Learn Pysanky does a great job explaining the basics and more. Much better than I could do here :-D Check it out!
5 comments:
WOW, very beautiful, Kim!
This is just beautiful! How lovely that you have grown up learning this tradition from childhood.
Kim that is absolutely stunning...puts Faberge to shame...smile. I love poppies as well.
This is so beautiful! And what a wonderful tradition that has been passed down through the generations...very special!
Thank you very much for all the kind comments...I love doing the eggs, and hopefully will get to do more this year.
I also try to get into my sons school to demonstrate to the younger kids; show them something that isn't electronically produced ;-) Unfortunately, the fact that I need to use an open flame does cause concern. Fire regs are very strict now!
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