Spring Pisanki Workshop with Sarah Renee Ozlanski - Saturday, March 21, 1:00-4:30
836368
Discover the traditional art of pisanki, a wax-resist egg-decorating technique from Poland, also known as pysanky in Ukraine, rooted in springtime traditions of renewal and symbolism.
Class Description:
This is a 3.5 hour class to learn the ancient tradition of pisanki through traditional designs and motifs.
Pisanki are decorated eggs that use a wax and dye resist process (similar to batik fabric) with a combination of colors and symbols that can be “written” and “read”. In this class you will be able to make 1 to 2 eggs after learning how to use the traditional tool, kistka, to “write” with beeswax on the egg and go through the multi-step dye process. We will also discuss the history of pisanki, the meanings of the symbols and colors, and how they have been used in rituals for the spring.
Date & Time: Saturday, March 21, 1:00 to 4:30
Material List for Students
Materials will be provided, but students are encouraged to bring their own hair dryers, sketchbooks, and sketching materials if they have them easily available.
Materials Provided by Instructor
- Kistki (for the student to use and take home)
- Beeswax (for the student to use and take home)
- Dyes
- Candles
- Eggs
- Pencils
- Spoons
- Paper towels
- Dish towel
- Example Eggs
- Books and patterns for inspiration
Note: Students will leave with their own kistki and beeswax square.
Age: 10 and up, students ages 10-14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Location: Fiddlehead's second floor classroom, stop into the shop for help locating the classroom.
Instructor bio:
Sarah Renée Ozlanski grew up in Belfast, Maine and learned to write pisanki at 6yo from her mother; a Polish tradition that has been passed down for generations through the women of their family. This past spring she graduated from the University of Maine with a BFA in Studio Art and English. As a student, she was awarded a McGillicuddy Humanities Center Fellowship for research about the preservation of pisanki from Slavic immigrants in North America. Her pisanki have been exhibited in multiple shows and her goose egg titled The Creation by Berehynia during Maine’s Autumnal Equinox won a juror’s award. She currently resides in Belfast with her partner, three cats, and six chickens (her co-artists) named after Polish bushas: Agnieszka, Janina, Helena, Jadwiga, Faustina, and Rozalia.
