Pysanky inspiration for Easter

Week 15's colours are Pea Green, Red Oxide, Banana & Mouse Grey

Like many art forms, the tradition of Pysanky/Pisanki (pronounced pee-SAHN-kee) crosses borders with various countries holding the tradition dear to them. In a past #coloricombo I featured Wycinanki, the beautiful and intricate paper cutting from Poland which is also practiced in Belarus and Ukraine.

Similarly, pysanky (писанки) is the Ukranian word for the traditional Slavic craft of Easter egg decoration, whilst in Poland it’s pisanki. Since I’m taking this week’s colours from a series of Ukranian (pretend) stamps, I’m going to refer to pysanky, the practice of decorating eggs in springtime has a fascinating and long history.

The tradition of pysanky is ancient, dating back thousands of years. Its pre-Christian and definitely before any modern borders, when it was practiced across the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe.

Pysanky was originally associated with fertility, new life and the renewal of nature that happens in spring. The word comes from pysaty, which means to write as designs are written onto eggs using wax.

After the arrival of Christianity in the latter 10th century, the egg decoration customs were repurposed and incorporated into Easter celebrations where their symbolism aligned with teaching about resurrection.

Each region where pysanky is practiced has developed its own distinct patterns and colours, combinations that have been passed down through the generations. Decorations include plants, animals and geometric patterns.

Pysanky are crafted using a wax-resist or batik method. Makers use a tool called a kistka to apply hot beeswax in intricate patterns before dyeing the eggs. When the wax is melted off, the pattern is revealed. More intricate patterns can be made by applying multiple laters of wax and different dye colours.

During the Soviet era, pysanky was banned. This wasn’t an art form that had any history in Russia and anyway, religious practices were strongly discouraged. After Ukrainian independence in 1991, there was a strong revival of pysansky as part of reclaiming their cultural heritage.

Whilst researching todays post and the stamps, I read up about them on this website. The stamps this weeks #coloricombo colours are taken from aren’t real stamps! They were printed in Canada in 1959, forty five “stamps” in total each showing the traditional pysanky designs from a specific region of Ukraine! I love the variety of stylised symbolic patterns on them.

The black text below the design is the name of the region, and the vertical red text to the right is the stamp number and the main design element used in that design, such as stars, crosses, butterflies, leaves, roses, wolf teeth, ladders and sunflowers,

Read more about pysanky here and here and take a look at this tutorial if you want to try it yourself.

“Pysanky stamps’”, printed, Yaroslav Eliyev (pysanky) & Myron Lev (stamps), 1959

Colour Combination

The chosen colours this week are Pea Green, Red Oxide, Banana & Mouse Grey. Use the colours along with a contrasting dark and neutral light colour if you wish. Create an artwork in any medium or style.

I love seeing what you’ve create. If you’re posting on Instagram, please tag #coloricombo and #estemacleod and join us in the private Facebook group Creative Prompts.

Colori Flori Early Bird Registrations opens 26 April

An email was sent out yesterday announcing the first Colori Flori Summit that will take place from 12-25 May. I’m collaborating with thirteen fabulous artist and they’ve each contributed a brand new lesson creating a floral focussed artwork, incorporating a specific #coloricombo palette. Read more about it below and get your email address on the priority list here.