Saving the World with Pysanky at Surrey Museum

On Saturday, August 17, 2013 I had the pleasure of joining my colleagues from Ukrainian Community Society of Ivan Franko (Richmond) and Ukrainian Dulcimer Ensemble (Surrey) at the invitation of Surrey Museum in Cloverdale for its "Discovery Saturday" event celebrating Ukrainian spirit. Program coordinator, Sandra Borger, Public Program Specialist and her capable volunteers showcased a colourful and interactive display of pysanky, music, culture, cuisine, and hands-on activities that enabled patrons to learn about Ukrainian culture and the history of Ukrainian immigrants in the area.

If you're wondering about the huge globe in the forefront of my pysanky display, it's my newest prop to illustrate that as long as pysanky are being made evil shall not prevail over good in the world.

Saving the world one pysanka at a time . . . .

Ethnic clothing from various regions of Ukraine had a prominent display in the lobby.

Shirley Kaspar welcomes a museum patron to the display

Gladys Andreas and her talented troupe performed classic and popular tunes on guitar, dulcimer and accordian.

Ukrainian Dulcimer Ensemble

Ukrainian Community Society displayed books from its collection of classic and contemporary literature, history, culture and art. library.

Val Shevchuk of Ukrainian Community Society

A demonstration of the technique of pysanky is always a popular draw.

Joan Ivanka Brander of Baba's Beeswax

Here is a photo from the Richmond Review on August 21, 2013 taken by Boaz Joseph.

Richmond Review, August 21, 2013

This drop-in activity attracted an enthusiastic audience of all ages. Thank you to everyone for your interest.





 

Superheros Unleashed

BCIT's invitation to staff was to hone super powers and discover new ones as inner superheros were unleashed! This was for the All-Staff Professional Development Day on June 13, 2013.

I was thrilled to meet many of my colleagues and share my passion for pysanky with them. Especially the therapeutic, relaxing, and stress-free aspect that make them so addictive. What a perfect way to spend a work-day!

After delivering the workshop I was humbled to learn that so many of the participants were featured in the fabulous Hidden Passions exhibit showcasing the artistic works of faculty and staff.

For me, the best part of the day was meeting new friends and putting faces to names.  Thanks, BCIT, for investing in our well-being!  Please enjoy these photos.

Sharing Stories

I love pysanky! And would love to hear your stories.

Pysanka by Paul shared a photo of his gorgeous pysanky:

Pysanka by Paul, Edmonton, AB

Tammy shared this with me:

Here are some pics of our projects. We really enjoy pysanky. I am going to take my supplies into my sons grade three class just before Easter so they can try it.

I love the simplicity of the designs, and seeing them brings heart-warming thoughts knowing that they were made by the hands of children. The colors are so vibrant! What a lovely tradition to share with family and friends.

Lou shared this story with me:

I have a soon to be 9-year old making strides in making Pysanky.  I think he does pretty well, considering he first tried his hand 2-years ago and can only work on them when with me.  His soon to be 6-year old brother has announced he will make eggs when he turns 7.  We will see.  He is not the same temperament as his brother. 

I thought this was such an adorable story.  That single word—“announced”—evoked such a cheerful image and brought a smile to my face!  How wonderful to have 2 boys to share this tradition with.  And WOW!  Look at these designs he made one and two years ago!

Here's an email I received from James:

My wife and I made our very first pysanky last year - it was awesome and we cant wait to do it again.  Here's a photo of our first effort.

 

These are gorgeous!  The colors are so bright.  I hope there'll be more coming.

If you think that egg decorating is just for Easter, think again!

People can't stop talking about how amazing a pysanka party is!  

Since 1991 I have coordinated workshops and parties for kids of all ages.  Over the years I collected party ideas and together with my expertise compiled it all in a new book called Pysanka Power! Birthday Party Ideas and Planner.

This book is full of ideas and resources to make your pysanka-themed party a smashing (no pun intended) success.  It's easy, fun and affordable.

Chapters include invitations, decorations, games, cake, snacks, favors, planner and more. Pysanky is fun for a birthday party or any time of year.  If you think that egg decorating is just for Easter, think again!

Just in time for Easter

Happy New Year! Have you broken your new year resolution yet?  I haven't.  Because when I can no longer diet, I simply dye it--and end up with something beautiful to show for it.  I luv pysanky!  And I can't stop talking about how fun it is!

"Pysanka Party" an illustration in watercolour and felt by Marcia Moroz, 2012.

Just in time for Easter, Baba's Beeswax has published its Spring 2013 Newsletter.  Topics include the correct pronunciation of that "hard to say word until you understand its origins and meaning" and beeswax info.

Easter is early this year.  Got to get busy making pysanky.  Happy Egging! 

Pumpkin Pysanky and Pysanky Pumpkins



In 2004 I was inspired by Martha Stewart Living magazine to try my hand at her delightful pumpkin pysanky designs and hung them on a craggy tree branch every October.  That month saw a sudden surge in Halloween workshops and a demand for black, orange and yellow eggshell dye. 



Martha Stewart Living October 2004



These jack-o-lanterns were just too cute to be scary. 



Pumpkins?



And so were the ghosts, spiders and skeletons.



Some years later I created a pysanka design for a miniature pumpkin decorating contest.  Those who know me know that I'm passionate about pysanky, so decorating a pumpkin this way was a no-brainer for me. But it surprised others and the cute little entry garnered a lot of attention.  


Pysanka?

 
Halloween apples?  Tricks or treats?  Yes.  Memories of carrying pillow cases for treats?  Yes. Overturned outhouses?  Yes. Halloween pysanky? No.  Now I'm really showing my age!

It's time to bring out the craggy tree branch and welcome the other cute little jack-o-lanterns, ghosts and goblins who will show up at my door for candy bars!







Knowledge is Power--the Power of Pysanky

Fall means back to school, not only for students but also for teachers!  Now is the time to plan your upcoming pysanky workshops.  This activity is fun for all grade levels K to 12 and integrates with multicultural and language arts, social studies, math and science.

If you're a teacher and haven't received your Newsletter from Baba's Beeswax, here it is.  What's in it for you?  teaching aids, money $aving tips for teachers, word scramble activity for students, and more . . . . All the best for the 2012-2013 school year!

2012 Fall Newsletter

And while I'm at it, here's a repeat of last year's Newsletter full of information, hints and money-saving tips!

2011 Fall Newsletter

I Luv Canada!

It's July, and Canada just turned 145!  I started celebrating birthdays last month by taking a trip to our beautiful capital city, Ottawa.  I had been there only once before as a child, and was promised it would afford a fabulous visit.  I wasn't disappointed. 

It was a whirlwind trip, and I managed to sightsee many capital highlights, drive a country tour, picnic in the park, go to the theatre, watch a fabulous light show against a backdrop of parliament hill, enjoy a river tour, and play a surprise game of bowling.  The highlight was a fabulous tribute concert to ABBA, the songs of which I can't get out of my head!  But the most exceptional thing for me was that I was accompanied by my 4 beautiful sisters, as we embarked on a once-in-a lifetime commemorative soiree in memory of our mother.  The Chateau Laurier was also celebrating a birthday (100 years) and had our mother still been with us, she would be celebrating her June birthday in style.  My holiday was rich with history—both personal and national!

(photo taken in 1957)

July 1^st is a grand celebration in Canadian communities from sea to sea to sea, and on Canada Day I joined thousands of people who attend the annual Steveston Salmon Festival.  Think sunny skies, red and white, and smiles all over, and you'll have a pretty good image of Canada Day 2012.

Whether I was returning home from Ottawa, or from a full day of teaching pysanky at the Steveston Salmon Festival, I returned home a happy, tired, and proud Canadian!

Our Tee Shirts Get Around

I can't get the Beach Boys song "I Get Around" out of my head as I blog this story.  Our tee shirt traffic at babasbeeswax.com is just as lively.  No sooner did we publish our tee shirt designs when one of our perennial customers in Toronto (what? no snow?) purchased our "logo" tee shirt.  Who says only people in Vancouver can wear tee shirts in the winter . . . . . . she luvs it and sent us a photo to show how pretty she is in it!  We luv it too!

Tee Shirt from http://www.babasbeeswax.com/

Most designs feature photos of pysanky with names like "Pysanky Symphony", "Beautiful Pysanky" and "I Heart Pysanky".  Can you figure out the whimsical design name "Ostrigooschick" conjured up by Tom?

Here is an audio story from the opposite coast of the country, Newfoundland.  Imagine the surprise when this passenger was approached by another bearing a big smile and hug to say Baba's Beeswax has great products!  Our tee shirts get around.

. . . . and beach weather is just around the corner!

Hot Off The Press

I enjoyed meeting journalist Michelle Hopkins when she visited my pysanka studio and gallery to do a newspaper article on egging. With both our busy schedules (hers: performing at a local charity event Dancing With The Stars; and mine: spring workshop mania) we agreed to a visit on the weekend.  We had a lovely chat—and there was soooooooo much to talk about.  Here is a link to her story on Page A17 of the March 14, 2012 edition of The Richmond News.

With the sureness that "you can't believe everything you read", I can point out only a couple of mis-quotes. The statement that I use a "hollow, cooked egg" conjures up a comical image!  But I was relieved that the distinction between pysanky and batik-style eggs was clearly made, as pysanky are so often misrepresented in the media and online, and it's so embarrassing and uncomfortable when that happens.  And despite a 9-digit phone number instead of a 10-digit one I'm still getting a ton of phone calls and comments.  Ditto for the website name which has a typo in it.  All in all I'm quite pleased with her story and am as busy as ever.  Have you read it? 

More later on the resulting workshops.



Distinction between pysanky eggs and batik-style eggs



Photo by Michelle Hopkins



The Biggest Pysanka Birthday Party Ever



Passersby with birthday wishes

One busy spring, just when Jacob was turning 12 years old, our family business was offering yet another hands-on pysanky workshop at a local shopping centre.  Jacob’s annual woeful lament about spring workshops interfering with and/or superseding every birthday party he ever had his whole life did not fall on deaf ears.  Tom and I planned a BIG birthday surprise.  At 12:00 noon we halted the workshop, announced the BIG 12th birthday, had a BIG birthday cake with 12 BIG candles (the size used for pysanky) and had a BIG birthday party in the mall.  Hundreds of shoppers and passersby joined in singing “Happy Birthday” and offered kind words and greetings in a BIG birthday card.  Jacob passed around birthday cake.  Strangers even bought presents!  One elderly gentleman was also having a birthday that day and appreciated the public display of affection.  That was the biggest birthday pysanka party ever!  


2 birthday boys



Kids of all ages celebrate birthdays with pysanky and I want to share my party secrets  That's why I just published Pysanka Power! Birthday Party Ideas & Planner [ISBN 1-897253-24-9].  Check it out here.

Your birthday is coming up again, Jacob, as are more workshops and parties.  Our birthday wish to you is that you have a happy one and celebrate it your way!

The World Needs More Pysanky

Spring Break Pysanky Workshops

The world needs more pysanky.  Ancient legend says that "as long as pysanky are made, evil shall not prevail over good in the world". Learn how to make traditional Ukrainian Easter eggs with beeswax and dyes.

Link to a whimsical video clip announcing my annual spring workshops

Pysanky 4 Kids – Ukrainian Egg Decorating

With a few simple tools and the proper instruction, anyone from 6 to 96 can learn to make a beautiful pysanka the traditional way. This is a great activity to do with your family and friends. What is so unique about my workshops?  I have been teaching pysanky since 1991 and over the years have amassed many, many teaching aids (samples, models, posters, etc.) handouts and best of all—empty eggshells—so that at the end of the workshop everyone takes home a pysanka that will last forever!

• includes inspiring video, folk history and culture, traditional legends, teaching aids, clear and concise instructions, one-on-one attention, unique hands-on technique
• March 12, 13, 19, 20 and 21, 2012 - 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
• all materials supplied
• gift bag and certificate also provided
• opportunity to see one of-a-kind Gallery and Library
• pre-registration required 604-275-8169
• all workshops at Baba's Beeswax Pysanka Studio, Richmond, BC

Pysanky Ukrainian Wax-Resist Egg Decorating

Cartons of eggs stand at the ready.  It's dyeing time at our annual pysanky Ukrainian Easter egg decorating workshops. Discover the magic of making pysanky the traditional way with beeswax and dyes.  With over 50 years of experience in making pysanky, I share not only the technique, but also the history and culture of this time-honoured activity.  I also share information, knowledge, hints and money-saving tips.

• includes inspiring video presentation, folk history and culture, traditional legends, and unique wax-resist technique
• workshops are from 7 pm to 9 pm on March 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21, 2012
• all materials supplied
• my workshops are very popular and fill up early
• opportunity to see one of-a-kind Gallery and Library
• pre-registration required 604-275-8169 
• all workshops at Baba's Beeswax Pysanka Studio, Richmond, BC

Link to my Calendar or download a Poster to share.

Making pysanky has never been so easy, fun or affordable!

Roses Are Red

Roses are red

Violets are blue

I decorated these

And so can you

. . . . share your own Valentine here . . . .

This design is a February Feature on t-shirts and other products from Baba's Beeswax.



Kung Hei Fat Choi—Year of the Dragon

According to a popular Chinese legend, the Universe was once an enormous egg.  One day the egg split open—its upper half became the sky, its lower half the earth, and from it emerged P’an Ku, primordial man. Every day he grew ten feet taller, the sky ten feet higher, the earth ten feet thicker. After eighteen thousand years P'an Ku died. His head split and became the sun and moon, while his blood filled the rivers and seas. His hair became the forests and meadows, his breath the wind, his voice the thunder.  Kung Hei Fat Choi.

Ukrainian Vancouver

My talented friend Myroslav Petriw (whom I have known and collaborated with for many years), author of Yaroslaw's Treasure, and my newly made friends, Vitaliy Kubatskyy and Valeriy Shevchuk (with whom I shared much merriment and exhuberance in celebrating the 120^th Anniversary of Ukrainian Settlement in Canada) have been very busy!  In addition to their many personal endeavours and pursuits, they have collectively succeeded in developing an independent online bilingual Ukrainian/English newspaper.  Congratulations to them and to everyone else involved in this exciting project.  I look forward to surfing their site and watching the progress as it grows and develops!  Don’t take my word for it—check it out yourself at http://www.ukrainianvancouver.com.  Congratulations!

More Than 25 Reasons Why You Should Write Pysanky!

It's the eve of a new year, and the impetus to reflect on 2011 is all around me.  Looking back not only on the past year, but also on the past 50 years, I consider all the things that pysanky have meant to me.  It makes me think about my grandmother and mother.  I remember my old friends for whom I made and gave pysanky as gifts.  I am grateful for my new friends who augment my collection.  I think about my grandparents who were Canadian pioneers and am thankful for my upbringing in a family that inspired me to be a pioneer on the world wide web.  I am rewarded with the reaction I get from people at my demonstrations and workshops.  My heart fills when children discover the magic they can do with eggs, beeswax and dyes.  My legacy is the writing and publishing of a children's activity book dedicated to my own child and I am proud of receiving a mark of distinction from the Library of Congress for my bibliography.  And, most recently, my foray into filming video clips has presented me with another experience.  I am astonished at the number of words that appear in my journal. These words describe why I love pysanky!

1. relaxing
2. therapeutic
3. intricate
4. creative
5. inspirational
6. energizing
7. fascinating
8. inheritance
9. heritage
10. custom
11. tradition
12. Easter
13. Spring
14. fun
15. affordable
16. artistic
17. sensory
18. unique
19. spiritual
20. talismanic
21. symbolic
22. colorful
23. rhythmic
24. calming
25. rewarding
26. pattern

I would love to hear what pysanky mean to you.  Comment with your own experience.

Happy New Year!

2012

Merry Christmas from the Brander's

About the Pysanka—It Is Written!

Responding to inquiries about my YouTube photo montage on the Pysanka Symposium, I have posted a video clip of the Book Launch and the resulting mark of distinction announced by the Library of Congress.  It's here for you to enjoy.

Post a comment to this blog, and I'll send you a Christmas present!