Painted Eggs
Every year, I spend a day before Easter painting an egg. I grew up making pysanky (a traditional Ukrainian method using layers of beeswax and dyeing), but I have since experimented with acrylic. I hollow out the eggs using a tack or needle, poking a hole on both ends and blowing out the liquid inside. The leftover shell makes for a fun and challenging surface to paint due to its fragility.
Kitezh Egg, 2025
I painted this goose egg using acrylic. It depicts the mythical city of Kitezh, which is said to exist beneath the waters of Lake Svetloyar in the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. Legend has it that only those who are of pure soul and heart will find their way to this magical city.
Guineafowl Egg, 2023
I made this pysanka using the wax and dye method. It depicts two guineafowl who we raised from chicks, and though the rest of the flock was killed by wild animals, these two survived for quite some time, getting into all sorts of adventures in the Adirondack Mountains. Unfortunately, they were eventually eaten by a Mink, so I made an egg in their honor surrounded by flowers.
Daisy Egg, 2022
I wanted to make this egg in the style of traditional slavic folk eggs I had seen. It features abstract daisies which I was obsessed with at the time.
Firebird Egg, 2021
This was my first egg painted with acrylic, and the start of my serious interest in making these. I had made others when I was younger, but never preserved or photographed them. It is inspired by illustrations of the Russian fairytales I grew up reading.
