(figure inside)
$120
(click on pic)
$30
( click on pic)
I began making Ukrainian eggs (pysanky, pronounced PYsankee--singular pysanka) many years ago, as a hobby which combined my work (I am a college professor of literature) with other forms of art and learning. They fascinated me as living remnants of a cultural tradition both aesthetically beautiful and symbolically meaningful. I have been interested in slavic art, literature, and culture since a rather harrowing trip to Russian I made as a student many years ago, when it was still the Soviet Union. After making the Ukrainian eggs for a number of years, I realized that their style and meanings were related to those painted on one of the few good things to come out of the Soviet era, the black lacquer boxes made in four small Russian villages, most famous of which is Palekh. After the 1917 revolution, unemployed icon painters adapted their style, and more subtly the spiritual essence and traditions of their art, to painting something acceptable to Soviet authorities--lacquer boxes for export which carried themes from the folk tales and historical sagas of ancient Rus, which included modern Russia, Byelorus, and Ukraine. Their style--black backgrounds with bright orange and red sharply-outlined drawings--resembles that of the pysanky. More important, these tales are not children's stories--like the symbols on pysanky, they preserve ancient meanings and wisdom from a preChristian world and its matriarchal, nature-oriented religion. The meanings of both the stories and the pysanky are compatible with orthodox Christianity--indeed, they were adapted and reinterpreted as Christian--but can also be appreciated for the older world-views and meanings which originally produced them. So I began to experiment with putting the lacquer box stories on the pysanky, using the same techniques. When I learned how to cut and decorate eggs in the Faberge manner, I actually made boxes out of duck and goose eggs with the story illustrations on them, or with the Ukrainian pysanka patterns. Now I also make Faberge-like eggs that have the stories on the outside but are cut to open and reveal a surprise inside--usually made of glass, cloisonne, or even another egg--which, like the particular shape of the cut, relates to the meaning of the story. I have sold these eggs for several years at major juried art shows and national egg shows (yes, there are such things--email me at address below to inquire further). Beware--some of my customers have become addicted to the eggs as unparalled personal gifts, as well as presents to themselves, above all because each one bestows a specific meaning--either the symbols of pysanky or the meaning of the particular story--on its possessor.
Below are samples of the eggs I have for sale and typical prices. I hope gradually to add sections explaining the history and method of making the pysanky, a section on the lacquer boxes and the meanings of the stories, and a full list of items for sale--which will be a long one! In the meantime you may purchase the items below by emailing me at rusalkha@hotmail.com.. Eggs cannot be returned, but I GUARANTEE that if one is broken I will replace it! I have LOTS more, including versions of each in all of the sizes and types listed below, and if you know a specific Russian story--or pysanka meaning, or a custom symbol you would like on an egg--please ask. I can email pictures of the ones I have and make ones I don't. And see my eBay listings under "doctorette" (soon I hope I can figure out how to create a link to them!) Thanks for your time and attention!
To view/purchase folktale eggs combining pysanky with Palekh folktale patterns, click here
To view/purchase pysanky or email me, click here
To purchase several very special eggs, click here
To purchase Christmas eggs, click here
For Link to Story Eggs Currently in Stock for 12-2003, click here
For Links to Pysanky Currently in Stock for 12-2003, click here