Birds, Eggs, Pysanky and Easter - Spring Has Arrived!
Sunday, March 23rd, 2008Happy Easter
Ostrich Egg pysanky by Brigitte Jordan
A pysanky is a Ukrainian decorated egg. These beautiful works of art are made by the wax batik method and are made as decoration, not to eat. A small hole is usually made at both ends of the egg and the contents are blown out before the design is written on to the egg with an instrument called a kystka. The kystka is a pen that writes with melted beeswax. Beeswax is used because it has a high melting point which makes it easier to get even lines that will not smear.
This ancient method of decorating eggs was in practice well before the time of Christ. Peasants believed that great power is embodied in the egg and they decorated eggs in the spring to celebrate the warming of the sun as it brought new joy and vigor to life.
You can see the fine detail of the flowers beneath the deer on this pysanky and the bird singing atop the newly blooming apple tree in this depiction of Spring. The photos that follow show the other three sides of this beautiful egg made by my wife Brigitte depicting the four seasons.
