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Class at Marietta gallery turns Easter eggs into artwork

Photo by Doug Loyer Everyone had a good time learning how to make Ukrainian eggs Saturday at the Riverside Artists Gallery in Marietta.

MARIETTA — The fine art of Ukrainian egg decorating was taught Saturday by Anna Vukovic at the Riverside Artists Gallery in Marietta.

The traditional art of Ukrainian egg decorating is known as Pysanky and the concept utilizes a wax application method and dipping the eggs into dyes. The art form is taught locally by Anna Vukovic of Marietta who offers classes each year at her home and at the Riverside Artists Gallery in Marietta.

There is no better person than Vukovic to teach Ukrainian egg decorating as she is Ukrainian and has a rich background in Pysanky and a love for the art.

“My parents met in a German displacement camp and later got married,” said Vukovic. “They got an opportunity to get on a boat and came to Youngstown where her father got a job in the steel mill.

“My parents came to a country where they couldn’t speak the language. The older I get, I admire them more and more for what they did,” she said.

Photo by Doug Loyer Kim Stull displays the Ukrainian egg that she made Saturday in Anna Vukovic’s class.

“My Dad showed me how to make Ukrainian eggs while I was in grade school and I loved it,” said Vukovic. “It’s in my blood and genes. I’m so grateful that they showed me how to do it.”

She still enjoys this art form and now enjoys teaching others how to do it.

“I couldn’t believe the look on a woman’s face last year when she took the wax off and she saw the finished egg,” she said. “She couldn’t believe she made it.”

The process starts by drawing on an uncooked egg with hot wax using a tool known as a kistka which is a stylus that has a tiny metal funnel at the end of the handle that holds melted wax. The kistka is dipped into hot wax and then used to gently draw wax lines onto the egg’s surface as the hot wax comes out of the tiny hole. The wax masks off parts of the egg surface so that the dye doesn’t color those areas.

After the wax design lines are drawn on the egg surface, it is dipped into a dye. The lighter colored dyes are used first and then after each layering of wax lines, the person starts using darker dyes. The longer the egg is left in the dye, the darker it will be. This process is repeated until multiple layers are built up. When designing, close attention to color and contrast are kept in mind.

Photo by Doug Loyer Just a few of the beautiful Ukrainian eggs created by Anna Vukovic.

After the last color is done, the excess wax can be scraped off and the egg is dipped into turpentine to dissolve any remaining wax. What remains is the colored dyes that were absorbed into the egg’s shell.

A protective shiny finish can be applied by applying a little varnish on it.

The maker can also empty the eggs out so it is hollow inside. Anna suggests making a small hole at the end of the egg and then blow out the contents with a straw. The eggs then can last forever.

Those that attended the class were really into it Saturday.

“It’s an interesting process,” said Jessica Sowers, of Whipple. “At first, it feels like it’s very elementary, but as you continue, you start to see the pattern better and the different colors and highlights. It becomes very nice. It just keeps building.”

Photo by Doug Loyer Anna Vukovic applies a thin layer of hot wax to her egg with a tool called a kistka.

Sowers is thinking of giving her finished egg to her grandchild, Charlie.

“I will probably have a little Easter egg treasure hunt and not hide this, but give it to him as a prize,” said Sowers.

Becky Hayes, of Caldwell, said that she found out about the class from her friend Jessica.

“This is very calming and relaxing. The time really flew by,” said Hayes. “I have a ceramic Easter basket at home that I think I’ll put this egg in with a little grass for an Easter decoration.”

“I do all kinds of crafts, but this is something new for me to try,” said Kim Stull, who lives on Harmar Hill.

Photo by Doug Loyer Becky Hayes applies wax in the process of making her Ukrainian egg.

“I think it’s neat that you really don’t know what it’s going to look like until you’re done,” she said. “You have to think sequentially with your lines and colors and visualize what you’re doing.”

Vukovic said that it seems a little complicated at first, but then they realize how the process works and of course it’s always a nice surprise at the end to see the nice bright colors.

The Riverside Artists Gallery is located at 219 Second Street in Marietta and offers a mixture of artwork, including pottery, jewelry, ironwork, watercolors, photography, and fiber arts among others. Fifteen artists who live within a 50-mile radius of Marietta create the work. The artists also offer classes at the gallery. To find out more about the Riverside Artists Gallery, visit riversideartistsgallery.com.

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