The timeless art of designing Ukrainian Easter eggs, pysanky, is a remarkable exercise in patience and vision for the artist. Deftly wielding their stylus combinations, artists Elsie Thoms and Elaine Kostuk gave a demonstration of the artwork on Saturday, April 1 at the Humboldt and District Gallery. Patrons gathered around and the duo explained the process as they worked.
The trick, they explained, was that the process works almost in reverse of what a conventional artist would do. They choose what areas of the egg will remain white first. By applying wax with the heated stylus, the successive layers of dye will run off, leaving a pristine egg white colour. Then as the eggs are dyed, various areas are sectioned off to apply the colour with the waxed portions shedding the dye. It’s an art form that’s most often passed along family lines.
“My mom knew how to do it," said Elsie Thoms who's been making them since she was eight years old. “When it came close to Easter time, she would make the dyes, and she would want us all to learn. Somehow, I always liked doing it, so I was always with her.”
The two women work from albums of symbols and icons, carefully placing them among the intricate patterns. She says her patterns are on postcards she purchases, each of which contains six designs. Her creative partner, Elaine Kostuk, shared a book with images and their meanings from which she worked.
“Wavy lines are for health and prosperity,” explained Elaine. “The dots and circles are for stars and constellations. Ladders suggest prayer and the cross for the four corners of the world and also the resurrection. Pine needles suggest long life and youth, and fish is the ancient symbol for Christ.”
She says the design from that point is up to her as the artists. The colours are dictated by the dyes and the different combinations to form secondary colours.
The eggs ranged from delicate small chicken eggs to the large and elaborately designed ostrich eggs which were on display for viewers at the Gallery.
Enjoy this prelude to Easter with the images below.