Family Class: Pysanky Egg Decorating

Join us for a special family class during the February break and try out a new (and old) form of decorating eggs! Pysanky is the traditional Ukrainian decorative art of creating intricately designed eggs in celebration of Easter and spring.

During this class, Ukrainian pysanky master artist Paul Luniw will instruct and lead children and adults in designing and decorating their own egg. Children and their caregivers will create their own design, inscribe their design in beeswax on an egg, dip the egg into different colored dyes, and then melt the wax to reveal their design. Father Paul will also discuss the history and symbolism of eggs and the pysanky tradition in Ukrainian Easter and spring celebrations, and discuss how we use visual arts to commemorate special events in our family traditions and cultures.

Father Paul was born in Halifax, England to a Ukrainian immigrant family. He learned to “write” Ukrainian pysanky from his mother as well as friends and relatives from the Ukrainian community and in Ukrainian school. He currently serves as parish priest at St. Michael’s Ukrainian Church in Terryville. A gifted educator, Father Paul loves to teach pysanky to students of all ages. Father Paul’s eggs have been collected and exhibited in museums, shops, and churches in the United States and around the world.

This class is great for children ages 7 and up. Children must be accompanied by an adult. The cost is $30 for one child and one adult for CMCH members, and $35 for one child and one adult for non-members. Each additional attendee is $10 for CMCH members and $15 for non-members. Maximum cost per family is $75. Please register online here.

For more information, please contact Corinne Swanson, Coordinator of Youth and Family Programs, at (860) 236-5621 x222 or email corinne_swanson@chs.org. This program is presented in conjunction with the exhibit Passing It On: Traditional Arts Apprenticeships.