Bead Fest Philadelphia 2013

With only one week until Bead Fest Philadelphia, Aug 23 -25, Maria is enjoying her last weekend in Ukraine. Once home she will be heading to Philadelphia to set up for Bead Fest.

Booth @ Bead Fest 2012

Along with over 350 other vendors Maria will her kits and patterns so you can create your own one-of-kind jewelry. Rypan Designs will be booth #103.

She will have the kits for the netted collar that appeared in the latest issue of Beadwork.

As seen in Aug/Sep 2013 issue of Beadwork

In addition to the many kits and patterns Maria has 4 books with a variety of projects in each. My personal favorite is Assorted Beadweaving, Lessons #2.

The image below is a customer appreciation pass for Bead Fest. Save the image, print it out, fill it in and bring it to the show. You will get weekend pass for only $5 (value $15).

Customer Appreciation Pass Form

Stop by the booth and say hello.

Happy Beading!

More Ukraine Travels

Trident ('Tryzyb') in lights, Kyiv, Independence Day 2011

I had an opportunity to visit Ukraine again immediately after Bead Fest in Philadelphia. Traveling through different time zones via Paris made it possible to arrive in Kyiv on Aug 24th, Independence Day. This was the 20th anniversary, an important milestone, but a strain was felt after a tumultuous day of celebrations.

20th Anniversary of Independence commemorative stamps

The timing of this trip was perfect because it gave me another opportunity to personally photograph new regions of Ukraine for my ongoing photo essays. While preparing a new "Tour of Gerdany Regions in Ukraine" PowerPoint, I thought it would be nice for viewers to tour all of the country to better appreciate the regional differences. "Ethnographic Regions of Ukraine" came together quickly using most of my own photos from various visits to half of Ukraine.

Premiered together with "Ethnographic Regions", Aug 2011

Here was my chance to add Crimea and the Black Sea, as well as the scenes along the drive back to Kyiv.

Presentations in Ukraine

How appropriate for the PowerPoint slide from OH to be the lead in for my presentations in Ukraine...

So much has transpired between the visit to the Ukrainian Museum-Archives Aug 13th and Sep 13th. There was a visit to an amazing Pysanky Museum in Reading, PA on the way to Bead Fest at Valley Forge. Then there was a two week trip to Ukraine for research and family visiting. I have tons of photos and stories!! These will be told a little at a time between shows and trips.

Maria at entrance to Ivan Honchar Museum, Kyiv, Ukraine

It was a great pleasure and privilege to share my "Contemporary Beadwork in Ukraine" PowerPoint with beaders and folk art enthusiasts in Ukraine.

I thought it would be interesting to show my presentation to master craftsmen, beaders, museum directors and staff who graciously allowed me to photographed some beadwork in their "fondy" archives. I wanted to show them how I've incorporated their work and stories into one of my many presentations. This one covered the different styles of beadweaving, gerdany, loomwork, embroidery with beads, metalwork, wirework, beaded eggs, etc.

I presented the "Contemporary Bead in Ukraine" twice. First on Sep 6th at the Educational Metodogical Center in Ivano Frankivsk, Western Ukraine. Then on Sep 13th in a great hall lined with display cases full of incredible artifacts at the Ivan Honchar Museum in the capital Kyiv.

A photograph is worth a 1000 words and provides a

stunning contrast to my contemporary outfit.

The Ivan Honchar Museum is dedicated to preserving traditional

folk arts through photograph and artifact collecting.

Maria tells about Ina Wasylkevych's cabochons and leatherwork in Truskavets.

A great buzz was created at the Honchar Museum

It was really wonderful to see so many beaders hanging on to every word, even photographing the the slides as I was showing them. Great questions came afterwards, as well as even greater expectations and ideas of what to do next.

Thanks to my brother, Paul Wasylkevych, for the photos and assistance with the PowerPoint presentation.

Contemporary Beadwork in Ukraine at UMA, OH

On the way to Philadelphia for Bead Fest, we'll be stopping at the Ukrainian Museum-Archives in Ohio on Aug 13th and 14th. I'll be presenting my Contemporary Beadwork in Ukraine and a Trunk Show Friday evening.

I've pulled the best photos of the most fascinating beadwork seen in my many recent trips to Ukraine. You'll see several bead artists/vendors at the Vernisage, a piazza full of folk art next to the Lviv Opera. Visit master craftspeople’s homes. See how the rich legacy of beadwork evolved into contemporary colored accessories. You’ll be amazed at the variety of beadwork styles, bead embroidery, wire bead flowers, beaded eggs... and more.

My RYPAN DESIGNS Trunk Show will feature books, beadwork kits and patterns related to Ukrainian-inspired themes and more. Refreshments will be served.

There will be two Gerdany Beadwork Workshops on Saturday for an excellent hands-on intro to the world of beadwork. Be sure to sign up for classes. This could be your new hobby! Advance registration required for workshops. Space is limited. See www.umacleveland.org Contact: (216) 781-4329 or email staff@umacleveland.org Ukrainian Museum-Archives Inc., 1202 Kenilworth Avenue, Cleveland OH 44113-4417

Wintery visit to the museum in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland

Ivan Franko statue by Alexander Archipenko (1887-1964)

The New Pathway reprints "Conversations..."

Hot off the press! The New Pathway, a Ukrainian weekly newspaper in Toronto, did a great job with "Gerdany - Past to Present: A Conversation With Maria Rypan on Ukrainian-Style Beadwork" on its Culture page 8. This was possible thanks to permission from BEADWORK magazine to reprint my interview from the Oct/Nov 2009 issue. The photo of editor Melinda Barta and myself holding the article at my booth at Bead Fest, PA, show what I'm up to these days. The photo of my "Scythian Gold" gives an idea of my project following the BEADWORK article. Catch it on the newsstand.

Love the New Pathway banner with my Crystal Wedding neckpiece for Sonia Kulyk.