Family in Feast and Feria

The egg is one of my favorite Easter symbols. The bursting of new life out of the white eggshell tomb really is a strong symbol and reminder of the Resurrection. Decorating eggs is one of my passions, and I have a long time love for the beautiful Ukrainian eggs, or pysanky.

It all started in the spring of 1982, when I was a freshman. Every year our family decorated Easter eggs with crayons and food colorings. We incorporated Easter and Christian symbolism, covered the eggs with designs. Every year my mother wanted to find a way to create some eggs that were unperishable, so we could enjoy them year after year.

There was an article in our local newspaper, briefly illustrating this art. Even in the black and white illustrations I thought it was fascinating, so I clipped the article. Then my mother's friend passed on an article from the CGA World about this Ukrainian tradition of decorating eggs, and how to make pysanky, because she thought I would be interested. And then I found in my mother's files an old Ladies Home Journal article my mother had clipped showing an alternative way to design these eggs with just permanent markers. The next year the front cover and centerfold of the Games Magazine my father received featured some gorgeous pysanky , with the game entitled "The Egg Hunt", to find only two out of the many eggs that were exactly alike. I spent hours looking at the intricate designs, the vibrant colors, the rich symbols. I was completely hooked!

I still have those clippings...I enjoy seeing how my rabbit trail unfolded. I spent 1982 Lent and Easter coloring some very special eggs. I only used fine tip permanent markers, as I had no idea where to find supplies to make authentic pysanky while living in Northern Louisiana! So I created my own interpretation. My mother still decorates her Easter table with these eggs my sister C. and I decorated.

In 1986 my family moved to Northern Virginia. We found out that the Ukrainian National Shrine in Washington, DC, hosted a Ukrainian bazaar and pysanky workshop. My mother, my youngest sister and I attended. I was in heaven! After only reading about it for years, I finally was able to create an authentic pysanka!

I've talked ad nauseum about this art at the 4 Real Learning Boards. I have posted numerous links and resources for making pysanky.

Here's a slideshow of the small collection of Ukrainian eggs we have here. I made 3, dh made two, and two others were from other artists.

Unless I actually go to the Workshop in DC, I don't find time to create them with my 3 year old, but I hope to get him involved in a year or two and start him on this journey. At the workshop I saw some young boys and teenage boys creating some beautiful works of art--if they can do it, my son can try, too!

What's wonderful is that no matter what you create, uneven, squiggly, blobs...it always is a beautiful egg at the end, a perfect reminder that "Christ is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed, Alleluia"