Pysanky Workshop

Phyllis Kozak, Katie Kozak and Laura Sparling select dyes for the painted eggs at Saturday's pysanky workshop.

NorVA-goers got creative this weekend at an egg-decorating workshop led by local artist Katie Kozak. Kozak learned the art of pysanky from her Ukrainian grandmother, Sophie Ostrowski. Kozak, with her mother Phyllis as an assistant, taught attendees how to use a special stylus called a kistka to draw patterns in wax on their eggs. When the egg is dipped in dye, the patterns drawn on in wax retain the colour underneath. By adding successive layers of wax designs and layers of dye, each artist can create an egg with numerous intricate colours and patterns. After the final layer of dye is added, the wax is melted away by holding the egg up to a candle flame.