Christine Levy shows how to create Pysanky (Easter Eggs) using traditional wax and dye techniques. Basic styles of Pysanky will be explained, as well as the history, symbolism and legends. Each student will create at least one egg to take home. Class is for children age 8 and up. Registration is required.
Instructor Bio
Christine Levy is a second…
Christine Levy shows how to create Pysanky (Easter Eggs) using traditional wax and dye techniques. Basic styles of Pysanky will be explained, as well as the history, symbolism and legends. Each student will create at least one egg to take home. Class is for children age 8 and up. Registration is required.
Instructor Bio
Christine Levy is a second generation Ukrainian American and has been writing pysanky for about 50 years. She has taught many others to create pysanka through one-on-one teaching as well as group workshops and has been professionally selling and exhibiting her work at juried craft shows over the years. She displays and demonstrates her craft annually at the St. Nicholas Ukrainian Church Easter Bazaar and Harvest Festivals and is actively involved in the Ukrainian community. Her work has been shown in local art galleries including Visions Gallery in Albany and Fulton Street Gallery in Troy.
About Pysanky: Decorating eggs, an ancient ritual going back to pagan times, took on deep religious meaning when Ukraine adopted Christianity in 988 AD. The decorated egg became an Easter tradition as the ancient pagan beliefs were adopted into the Christian celebration. Pysanky designs are symbolic, and the egg is often given as a gift to loved ones. Creating a pysanka is mesmerizing, almost a magical; the colors are applied from light to dark, which is the reverse of most art work. In the final step, the egg is completely black, and when heated, all the brilliant colors are revealed and the elaborate design is seen for the first time. You never know how it will look till the last step, which is very surprising and rewarding.
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