Drop In Talismans: Pysanky as Symbolic Gifts 4F25

Gretjen Helene (mixed media/photography) is a professional photographer and fine art/sculptural photographer who works with traditional alternative photographic processes as well as in a documentary style. She has exhibited throughout the Boston area, New York City, and Alaska. She studied at Emerson College and received her undergraduate degree at The Art Institute of Boston, subsequently teaching a Publication/Exhibition of Photography class thereafter. She received her graduate degree in Fine Art Photography and Integrated Media at Lesley University's College of Art & Design.

She has an affinity for eggshells and the symbolism they evoke; autonomy and the cycle of life. She also enjoys working with natural animal materials such as bone, feather, sinew and egg. She was taught Pysanky at a young age by her mother and has been continuing the tradition each year ever since with family and friends, as well as with students in public classes and private groups. The layering of wax and the subtractive dyeing process of Pysanky has a likeness to the traditional photographic processes of developing and printing images from negatives in the darkroom; her debut into creative practices. She now teaches the Photo Collective group at the ICA in the Teen Program.