Ukrainian egg decorating takes patience, but symbolic pieces can be enjoyed for years, gifted to someone special
By Katharine DYSON
When Natalie Krause wanted to give her Irish dance teacher a special gift at Easter time, she gave her a real treasure: an egg she had created in Irish colors following the Ukrainian egg-decorating process.
Indeed, decorating eggs in the intricate and ancient Ukrainian traditions has become an annual event for Dorothy Krause, her family and friends, like the McConnaghys, also of Skaneateles.
The Krauses have been decorating eggs ever since Dorothy read about them and bought a kit with the basic supplies. Now each year about this time, everyone in her family gets into the act: husband Steven, an architect, daughters Ellie, 14, Angela, 8, Natalie, 11, and son, Max, 16.
The name for this ancient art - and it is indeed art - is “pysanky,” which means “to write.” In the Ukraine, people like to send these beautiful eggs to their loved ones. The eggs are saved and enjoyed over the years as a tapestry of families' lives.
The eggs are decorated by using a kind of batik wax-and-dye process and feature lines, colors and symbols that represent specific things. For example, yellow symbolizes wisdom, pine branches stand for long life and good health and deer, horses and rams indicate wealth and prosperity.
Traditions can be traced back to 988, when the Ukrainians accepted Christianity and believed great powers were embodied in the egg, with its promises of the coming of spring and new life. Many believed the eggs were magical and capable of delivering wealth and even eternal life.
Not only were the eggs given to special people, they were also placed in fields to ensure good crops, kept in homes for protection and presented to young men as signs of affection. Made by the women during Lent, some women coveted secret dye recipes.
In this country, the art is catching on, as people like the Krauses (who do not have Ukrainian roots) find great joy in the process of decorating the eggs.
“We go crazy with colors and sometimes have 12 dishes of color going all at once,” Dorothy said. “When we first started, we used many colors, and most of the eggs ended up being quite dark. Now you can see how using just one or two colors can be very dramatic.”
Looking at the many eggs the Krauses have designed, clearly each egg has a special place in their hearts.
When asked about their favorites, Natalie said, “I like Ellie's flower and tree.”
“I like Angela's duck and her flower, especially because they were some of her first ones,” Dorothy said.
“But look at Daddy's. It is really beautiful. He spent hours on it,” added Ellie, pointing out an egg with an elaborate geometric design.
Ellie explained that her father once spent a whole day on a really beautiful egg, and at the last minute it broke. Dorothy has had a similar experience.
“One time when I was in Sanibel, I worked a whole day on a hibiscus flower. It turned out to be beautiful,” Dorothy recalled. “Then it broke. I felt terrible and couldn't throw the pieces away for a couple of days. After two or three breaks, you learn to be very careful.”
“One of the hardest things is that if you are a perfectionist, it is almost impossible to make it come out like you planned,” she continued. “You have to relax as a family and just have fun.”
In fact, one of the happy surprises is when all the wax is removed and the design emerges.
Although the traditional method is to use raw eggs, the Krauses blow out the eggs. “If you get your egg too near the flame when the wax is being melted off and you have your fingers covering both holes, the pressure in the egg can build up and the egg pops,” Natalie said.
Another problem with eggs that have been blown out is that they tend to float in the dye bath, leaving float marks. And, Dorothy warned, “You cannot use soap when cleaning the eggs, as the dye won't take well. You also have to be careful your hands are not oily when you hold them, as the dye tends to pull away from those areas as well.”
But all agree that the best part, besides the lasting memories the eggs evoke, is the camaraderie of friends and family getting together and doing something special. Priceless.
Skaneateles resident Katharine Dyson, author of “The Finger Lakes Book, A Complete Guide” and “The 100 Best Romantic Resorts in the World,” is a columnist and contributor to several national magazines and newspapers.
When Natalie Krause wanted to give her Irish dance teacher a special gift at Easter time, she gave her a real treasure: an egg she had created in Irish colors following the Ukrainian egg-decorating process.
Indeed, decorating eggs in the intricate and ancient Ukrainian traditions has become an annual event for Dorothy Krause, her family and friends, like the McConnaghys, also of Skaneateles.
The Krauses have been decorating eggs ever since Dorothy read about them and bought a kit with the basic supplies. Now each year about this time, everyone in her family gets into the act: husband Steven, an architect, daughters Ellie, 14, Angela, 8, Natalie, 11, and son, Max, 16.
The name for this ancient art - and it is indeed art - is “pysanky,” which means “to write.” In the Ukraine, people like to send these beautiful eggs to their loved ones. The eggs are saved and enjoyed over the years as a tapestry of families' lives.
The eggs are decorated by using a kind of batik wax-and-dye process and feature lines, colors and symbols that represent specific things. For example, yellow symbolizes wisdom, pine branches stand for long life and good health and deer, horses and rams indicate wealth and prosperity.
Traditions can be traced back to 988, when the Ukrainians accepted Christianity and believed great powers were embodied in the egg, with its promises of the coming of spring and new life. Many believed the eggs were magical and capable of delivering wealth and even eternal life.
Not only were the eggs given to special people, they were also placed in fields to ensure good crops, kept in homes for protection and presented to young men as signs of affection. Made by the women during Lent, some women coveted secret dye recipes.
In this country, the art is catching on, as people like the Krauses (who do not have Ukrainian roots) find great joy in the process of decorating the eggs.
“We go crazy with colors and sometimes have 12 dishes of color going all at once,” Dorothy said. “When we first started, we used many colors, and most of the eggs ended up being quite dark. Now you can see how using just one or two colors can be very dramatic.”
Looking at the many eggs the Krauses have designed, clearly each egg has a special place in their hearts.
When asked about their favorites, Natalie said, “I like Ellie's flower and tree.”
“I like Angela's duck and her flower, especially because they were some of her first ones,” Dorothy said.
“But look at Daddy's. It is really beautiful. He spent hours on it,” added Ellie, pointing out an egg with an elaborate geometric design.
Ellie explained that her father once spent a whole day on a really beautiful egg, and at the last minute it broke. Dorothy has had a similar experience.
“One time when I was in Sanibel, I worked a whole day on a hibiscus flower. It turned out to be beautiful,” Dorothy recalled. “Then it broke. I felt terrible and couldn't throw the pieces away for a couple of days. After two or three breaks, you learn to be very careful.”
“One of the hardest things is that if you are a perfectionist, it is almost impossible to make it come out like you planned,” she continued. “You have to relax as a family and just have fun.”
In fact, one of the happy surprises is when all the wax is removed and the design emerges.
Although the traditional method is to use raw eggs, the Krauses blow out the eggs. “If you get your egg too near the flame when the wax is being melted off and you have your fingers covering both holes, the pressure in the egg can build up and the egg pops,” Natalie said.
Another problem with eggs that have been blown out is that they tend to float in the dye bath, leaving float marks. And, Dorothy warned, “You cannot use soap when cleaning the eggs, as the dye won't take well. You also have to be careful your hands are not oily when you hold them, as the dye tends to pull away from those areas as well.”
But all agree that the best part, besides the lasting memories the eggs evoke, is the camaraderie of friends and family getting together and doing something special. Priceless.
Skaneateles resident Katharine Dyson, author of “The Finger Lakes Book, A Complete Guide” and “The 100 Best Romantic Resorts in the World,” is a columnist and contributor to several national magazines and newspapers.
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