Home » Classes » Pysanky: Wax Resist Ukrainian Easter Eggs 1W23

Pysanky: Wax Resist Ukrainian Easter Eggs 1W23

Pysanky, a traditional Ukrainian egg-decorating technique, uses layers of wax and colored dye to achieve beautiful, complex designs. In time for Easter, learn techniques of color layering, localized application and the use of different tool sizes to achieve various results. At the end, remove the wax to reveal the finished egg. Feel free to take this class multiple times to accumulate practice and refine your skills. 

Drop-ins are welcome for experienced Pysanky artists and past students, register here: Pysanky Drop-In.

Students will be supplied with a set of Pysanky tools so that the work can continue beyond the class.

Students are invited to join us again in future years, with their tools.

 

My interest in Slavic cultures inspired me to register for this workshop.  I really appreciated the instructor's pace, humor, calm demeanor, enthusiasm, and expertise; also, just learning an age-old craft and trying it out.  Great materials box comes along with the course for home use!

I loved the meditative time, the people we met, and the lovely community feeling of doing this together... as well as supporting Ukranian heritage!

 

 

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Gretjen Helene

gretjen_helene

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.

Specialty: 
Mixed Media and Photography
Materials to bring to class:

In addition to $40 paid to instructor please bring:

  • Apron, clothes that don't mind getting dye on
  • A roll of paper towels