Introducing Elizabeth Gunko.

Eliza is a young Ukrainian refugee who has been in Australia for about a year and a half. She is here with her mother and comes from eastern Ukraine which is where the fighting is raging and she has family back in Ukraine. She is an art graduate and is putting her knowledge and skills to good use by teaching us – Those who are part of a workshop organised by the indefatigable Bettina Palmer at https://foragersnestartspace.com.au/

The subject matter of the workshop if Pysanka – the Ukrainian Painted egg. Eliza tells us that this is a tradition going back to ancient times when eggs were decorated in spring as a symbol of the rebirth of the earth.

Each pattern is deeply symbolic as are the colours that are used.

Traditionally each region each village and almost every family in Ukraine has its own special ritual, its own symbols and meanings for the eggs. They customs are preserved and passed through the generations.

The eggs are blown, patterns are drawn, then melted beeswax is passed over the pattern and the eggs are dipped into the various dyes while more wax is applied with each subsequent dye. Once it is all covered the wax is melted to reveal the pattern and the eggs are cleaned and varnished. The decorated eggs are given to family members who display them proudly. Pysanka protect households from evil spirits, catastrophes. lightning and fires.

We used the little blue instrument called a Kistka in which we dropped bits of beeswax which we then melted over a small tea light. Then with the small tip we outlined our pattern with the melted beeswax.

It was great fun, we met some lovely women as always and exchanged stories of painted eggs in the Greek world and the Balkans. Go along and enjoy the workshop or learn the art of Petrykivka painting which Eliza can also teach. This is one of her art works.

https://events.humanitix.com/traditional-easter-egg-panting-workshop

https://events.humanitix.com/petrykivka-painting-workshop

These are the links but there is a lot more on offer as well. The photos of the two eggs – so which is Elizas and which is mine ? Replies in the comments box !

2 responses to “Introducing Elizabeth Gunko.”

  1. Christina Y avatar
    Christina Y

    This is so wonderful! Thank you for sharing. You have to tell us which was your work of art!

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  2. mezzemoments avatar
    mezzemoments

    Christina, it was the one on the right of the page – hers has got perfect lines and outlines and mine is a lesser version but such fun to make and create and of course learn something about Ukraine and its customs and traditions.

    I shared with her the Greek tradition of painted eggs where we put leaves or flowers on the eggs and then tie them in nylon stockings before immersing them in dye. Did your mother paint eggs like that ? x M

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