As I firm up plans with a friend to make the nalysynky recipe I found the other day, I find myself captivated by another Ukrainian tradition: Pysanky. For the last few days I have been watching videos of women intricately decorating blown-out eggshells with layers of wax-resistance and dying in subsequently darker dyes. I knew from the moment I saw how it is done that I had to try it.
The things I need have a way of finding me and fitting together quite cozily. I’ve been studying North American folk traditions for a fantasy book series I’m writing and I’ve mostly focused on the Appalachian region and the Pennsylvania Dutch settlement. I know little about my family, but I know that my mother’s side is German and Eastern European. I have been tracing my mother’s matriarchal line, which is the German side, so I know even less about the Russian and Ukrainian side of her family.
And then almost simultaneously, I found a really good place in Russia for one of my plot lines (the deepest freshwater lake in the world is Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia and one of the books opens on a water crisis) and the internet started showing me all sorts of Ukrainian things. (Yes I know my phone listens to me. Damn robot.)
One of the ways I learn pretty much anything is through creating art, so naturally, in addition to studying the lore and magic of the folk, I am also studying the art of the folk. Lost myself there for a while in Pennsylvania Dutch and Germanic folk art and symbolism/use and Pennsylvania Dutch hex signs. So, pysanky was a natural doorway into the beauty and culture of Ukraine for me.
I want to share my first pysanky experience here for one main reason. Recently I was texting a newish friend, asking about their interest in arts and crafts and learning new things. They replied that they did like those things, but often quit if they don’t excel quickly. I thought about all the things I have done badly and how many times I had to do them badly before I got good at it. I now sell the crochet clothes I make, but it took me about 15 years of trying and failing and returning to learn how to crochet and another 15 years before I could crochet clothes. I thought I was completely doomed when it came to watercolor. I tried again and again over the years and it looked like a drunk 3 yo did it. Acrylic is my preference and I have some control issues. Turns out I do really good watercolor birds. Yet, I cannot draw a decent bird to save my life.
There’s a Macklemore song with a line I like that makes my point. It says, “The greats weren’t great because at birth they could paint. The greats were great because they paint a lot.”
I really would like the opportunity to encourage my new friend to be bad at things. To do some things because they’re fun or nice and not because they’re good. I would like to encourage that in whoever reads this, as well. So, I’m sharing my wobbly lines and mishaps in hopes that you, too, will do something badly and enjoy it. That doesn’t mean forcing yourself through something you hate, but maybe we’re not so quick to hate things.
I’ve linked some pysanky videos I used at the end if you actually want to learn how to do this. Also,I just got a basic kit to try, but if I decide to pursue this further (which is highly likely), would like to find a Slavic source (or sources) for my supplies. Pretty easy to find, but if you wanna shout out where you get your kistky, wax, dyes, or anything else, drop a link!!
This is from the first layer of wax. When I dye my egg, everything under that wax will stay white.
Next it’s time for the first layer of dye. I am using aniline dyes, here.
Well, perhaps I was tempting fate by writing a blog post about doing art badly. What had happened was, I misread the directions on the dye and the water was so hot when I put the egg in that the wax melted right off. I immediately realized my mistake but it was too late. It was rather a challenge to fish the egg out of the jar and when I did, most of the design had melted away.
So without further ado, my first pysanky egg:
Sometimes all you can do is laugh and try again. I have another blown out egg and I’m intrigued enough by this process that I want to do it again and do it right.
Let’s try another egg, shall we?
I’m going to do one thing different rightly off the bat. I’m going to use the smallest kistka. I think it might give me better control over the wax flow.
So here’s my second egg. I think I mighta did better on my first one, honestly. No giant hole on the bottom of this one though!
Ok onto the dye bath!!! Take two!
That’s much better. Next we’ll put another layer of wax down and everything under this layer will stay yellow when we dye it again, and so on and so forth. Now that I’ve successfully gotten through a round, I’m going to fast fwd and just show you the pictures from every round.
She’s lookin like she had a rough night! 🤣 Black is the last dye! Time to melt the wax off and reveal the final design!
I love it!!! I don’t even care how wobbly my lines are. This is SO COOL!
I went and excitedly showed my egg to my family and my daughter’s girlfriend asked if I would make her one. 😁 I’ll be making them for gifts to give on my birthday is the plan. I know it’s out of season, but that’s ok. Maybe we can do some together next Lent!
Pysanky was originally a pagan tradition that came to integrate much Christian symbolism. They were intended as blessings and prayers and the different symbols, patterns, and shapes indicate the specific intention of that egg. A lady in one of the videos linked below said that you’re only supposed to think good thoughts about the person you’re making them for, or those bad thoughts will transfer to that person with the egg.
I’m so thrilled I tried this, even though mistakes were made and eggs were broken. It’s such a beautiful art form and I’m just blown away (no pun intended) by the people I’ve seen drawing beautifully smooth lines and intricate patterns on this strange, fragile canvass. I’m definitely going to be doing more of this and will post pictures.
Happy art-making! I hope you have fun doing something badly this week!!
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