Join us in the ritual of making Traditional Ukrainian pysanky.
No prior skills are needed. All materials will be provided. Ages 9+
Pysanky is the Ukrainian word for decorated eggs made using the wax-resist "batik" method, in which designs are drawn or written onto the egg with beeswax (“pysaty” means “to write”), and then submerged in a series of dye baths. Beautiful and intricate, they are widely recognized and extremely popular, but their origins and traditional purpose are often overlooked.
Pysanky are talismans imbued with symbols of protection and goodwill, and making them is a ritual act, a meditation. In our age of materialism, pysanky have become art objects and in the interest of convenience and speed, they are made using mass-produced dyes and tools. However, before aniline dyes became widely available, dyes were mostly made from natural materials readily available. Sourcing and creating natural dyes, as well as co-creating with nature, are integral to the ritual.
About the Facilitator
In this workshop, Bozena Hrycyna will guide participants in making pysanky dyes from organic ingredients provided and walk you through the rest of the process of inscribing the egg with designs to experience the miraculous birth of a pysanka. She will share some of her journey re-discovering this integral part of pysankarstvo and offer insights and encouragement for you to begin your own journey of making pysanky dyes collaboratively with nature.
If you are a University of Toronto student, you can sign up for the free afternoon session from 2:00 - 5:00 pm in the South Sitting Room (3017). Follow this link to register.
This workshop is part of the Talking Walls series connected with the Kosa exhibition at Hart House, running Nov-Feb. For the full program listing see the Hart House website.
Hart House, a centre for experiential learning at the University of Toronto, has served as a gathering place since 1919. Located in a historic neo-Gothic building, it offers space for arts, dialogue, wellness, and community engagement, welcoming students and the broader public year-round.