Instructor: Cynthia Huesman
Description:
Come and dye Easter eggs with us!! With a backdrop of Ukrainian folk music as well as folk tales read to you from Pysanky Egg books, you will learn beginner skills that will enable you to “write” beautiful Pysanky eggs! The purpose of creating Pysanky, according to Ukrainian folk tales, is to transfer goodness from the household to the designs which helps restrain evil in the world. Once varnished, the decorated egg is quite sturdy although still breakable.
The art of Pysanka (singular) (from Ukrainian very “pysaty” – to write) dates from antiquity. It originated in the prehistoric Trypillian culture. Folk tales state that the people worshiped the sun. Eggs that were decorated with nature symbols were chosen for sun worship ceremonies and were treated as talismans. The sun god was the most important of the gods. Birds were the sun god's chosen creatures since they could fly and be closest to the sun god. People treated bird eggs as magical objects as they were considered the source of life. In the Spring, the egg represented the rebirth of the earth and was thought to have special powers.
With Christianity, the symbolism of the egg changed to represent the rebirth of man. Christians treated the egg as a symbol of the tomb from which Christ arose. Many symbols of the old sun worship survived and were adapted to represent Easter and Christ’s resurrection.
Age Range: 12+
Materials:
$30 materials fee payable to Instructor includes all materials needed.
Bring a lunch!
About the Instructor:
I am a former high school science teacher and I have also taught workshops in corporate settings as part of my pre-retirement work in Information Technology. Currently, my workshops have included a Pysanky workshop at Shepherd University and at the Firehouse Gallery in Charles Town, WV. I have also taught a Parchment Class at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Shepherdstown.
I am an oil painter who paints in a realistic style and has fun with abstraction. My subject matter includes landscapes, still life, architecture and patterns with occasional life drawing and portraits. I pay careful attention to the play of light on the scene before me and render my paintings and drawings with detail as well as attention to accurate colors and depiction of reflections and shadows. I also enjoy applying my skills to works that depict religious art and are spiritual in nature. I also enjoy working with egg tempera, acrylic and pastels and use these media in my art. Educated in art in a community college setting as well as independent group lessons, I was taught by professors who were educated at the Maryland Institute College of Art. My 10+ years of both experiences and education were broadened by my studies in life drawing classes and international trips.
Additionally, I love crafts and I credit my love for crafts to my grandmothers who were well-versed in these wonderful works. I produce works in both arts and crafts that are commissioned by others as well as initiated by me. I am most inspired to produce art and craft works that have meaning for others as well as showing the wonder and beauty of God’s creation.