Sunday, April 20, 2014

Easter ~ Pyzanka from Ukraine ~ Papier-mâché from Kashmir

I always seem to have a destination in mind these days with my blog posts. With Easter here, and my constant need to rotate vignettes of ideas in my home; this time, I turn to Ukraine, a country which has been in the news of late. Just like my last blog honored the mystery of a lost flight, here I honor the art of Pysanka - the magnificent Ukrainian custom of Easter Egg decorating using pen-like styluses filled with liquid beeswax to draw intricate folk-inspired imagery in a wax-resist dye method.

Done a few years ago, the rust/red and green/yellow eggs below are my own elementary attempt - all the while trying to keep a steady hand, follow a proportioned design, and making sure not to crack the empty egg shell! I was humbled by the task in no time at all. 
A concentration like no other.






                       


Another beautiful technique is the Kashmiri art of hand-painted papier-mâché. When I traveled to Kashmir over 30 years ago, when the turmoil of today did not exist, and tourism flourished, I remember being on a student's budget with incredibly fine pieces completely out of my reach. How I would love to study and create my owns pieces, even small eggs like these below… but I shall leave it to the masters - they alone can create with an eye like no other.





Sprintime flowers, lace-like patterns on a porcelain bird, glittered glass eggs. 
My fingers are always itching for a new curiosity - a new experience.

 Look up Pyzanka online and you too will be awed by this intricate art form!
Look up Kashmiri papier-mâché and you will continue to be awed.

Look up and be inspired - it is good for the soul.

Happy Easter, Adeline