Pysanky- Ukrainian Eggs (Ova Art)

     The elaborate eggs found at the artist’s studio are from an ancient Ukrainian technique called Pysanka, which translated means “to write on”.  This method is a wax-resist method used with intensely colored dyes.  There are a variety of eggs that are available, such as goose, brown, white and green chicken, duck and ostrich.  Emu eggs are also used, but require an acid-etching process to reveal the natural color of the shell. The wax tool used for writing on the egg with bees wax is called a kitska.

     The eggs are emptied of their content and allowed to air dry. A design is lightly drawn on with pencil and the first waxing is “painted” on.  Everything covered by the wax will resist the rest of the sequential dye baths. The majority of the designs are worked from lightest to darkest dye. When the final background color is achieved, the wax is melted away to reveal the design.  The egg is then given several coats of an acrylic gloss spray with a Ultra-violet inhibitor. (Artist will still suggest that eggs not be displayed in direct sunlight)

     Traditional Ukrainian eggs are full of symbols, Pagan and Christian alike. While these designs are fun to do and great to learn from, this artist likes to design her own Pysanky.  The inspiration comes from many different places:  fabric or wallpaper prints, quilting patterns, tessellations, holiday and seasonal themes, and themes throughout art history (Pompeii, Grecian, Roman, Oriental, African, Aboriginal, Mayan, Aztec, Indian, Moslem, Medieval, Celtic Knot-work, Stained glass, etc.)

     The artist also loves to experiment with this ancient medium and the process. Some of the techniques she uses to create these unique works of art are Bleaching, Stain glass (starting with an all black egg for leading lines and bleaching back to the lightest color to the darkest color again) and Watercolor eggs (the dyes are hand-painted for control of values and then waxed), and Stippled eggs (the dyes graduate in several values of each color through pain-staking stippling of wax with the kitska for a very subtle shading effect). Special eggs are also embellished with gold or silver paint for extra sparkle.

Eggs may be made to hang as ornaments by request with gold or silver bell caps and with or without tassels on the bottom.