MORE PISANKI BY FELICIA

MORE PISANKI BY FELICIA

PISANKA EGG DECORATING BY FELICIA

PISANKA EGG DECORATING BY FELICIA

The scratched eggs are called "Skrobanki" and are made by dyeing the eggs first and scratching a design to reveal the white egg shell.  I dye the egg first and then very lightly draw pencil lines where I want to scratch off the dye.  Then I use an sharpened nail or Exacto Knife to scratch the shell very
carefully, since the egg is so fragile.  I don't want to put a hole in the shell.  Sometimes when the white lines don't look clear enough on a regular pisanka, I scratch the white lines and then varnish over the egg to seal it.

The second group of pisanki are Batik art and represent butterfly designs on the egg shells and done with beeswax and dye.  With this method, I draw on the white or brown egg shell, which has been blown out to make it hollow.  I draw lines lightly with pencil, (don't erase mistakes...just don't wax over them).  I apply the melted beeswax by heating the pisak in acandle flame, scooping up some wax and drawing on the egg shell.  Each dye bath is done after the wax, light colors to dark, until the whole egg is dyed and waxed.  Then the wax is removed by touching close to the candle flame and wiping the melted wax with tissue.  Varnishing is the final step, to make the eggs shiny.

For anyone out there who is a Pysanky Artist, I have just discovered a new group of people who work with eggs and make the most impressive pysanky you will ever see.  The group is:
PysankyUSA.com     You can see the eggs made by the artists and even purchase supplies.  Check out their site.

PISANKI BY FELICIA

PISANKI BY FELICIA

ACRYLIC PAINTING: "Autumn in the Finger Lakes Region"

ACRYLIC PAINTING: "Autumn in the Finger Lakes Region"

PYSANKY DEMONSTRATION IN WISNER PARK, ELMIRA, NY

PYSANKY DEMONSTRATION IN WISNER PARK, ELMIRA, NY

 Community Arts of Elmira has a tent each Thursday in the 
summer at Wisner Park in downtown Elmira.  There are all kinds of vendors selling flowers, produce, flavored popcorn, food, plants, and information tents about different projects available to the public.  Musicians from our area play on a stage at each market throughout the summer.  Sometimes I  demonstrate the art of making pisanki.  I meet some wonderful people and love the idea of informing them about my folk art.  It is a little challenging using a lighted candle outdoors, especially if the wind is blowing.  Then there might be several people standing around and watching me try to light my candle.  

German Paper Cutting or Scherenschnitte: MORNING GLORIES AND LILLIES

German Paper Cutting or Scherenschnitte: MORNING GLORIES AND LILLIES

This is a German Style Paper cutting called Scherenschnitte.  The paper is folded in half and then the holes are cut out through both sides at the same time.  This can be done with sharp-pointed scissors or an exacto knife with a self-healing mat beneath the cutting.  When the cutting is unfolded, the sides will be symmetrical with the designs repeated on each side, only reversed.  I placed it in a round mat and added the little symmetrical shapes to the four corners, to set off the design.

German Paper Cut..."A TREE OF FULL OF LIVING THINGS"

German Paper Cut..."A TREE OF FULL OF LIVING THINGS"