What's new at the Vernissage, Lviv

 Beaded pysanky eggs by Luba Frankevych

It's been a long while since I've shown beadwork, so it's appropriate to follow up the ANPT 'pysanky' article with new sources of beaded eggs. In my short visit to the Vernissage on Aug 26th, I found a lot of fresh new directions for gerdany beadwork. A few craftspeople had beaded pysanky.

I liked Luba Frankevych's display because she meticulously beadweaves intricately-patterned nets around wooden eggs. She's holding the largest egg whose detail can seen in the top left corner above. I purchased the next size down and one more for a keepsake.

Luba shows her largest pysanka

There were several new stands with beadwork. The new trend was three-dimensional florals or mosaic (Peyote) leaves formed into 'kalyna' bunches. The beaded flowers were added onto netted collars, bracelets or used for pendants and brooches. They came in all shapes and sizes with the poppy as the most favorite flower. I purchased the "Kalyna" creation in red on a matte black net in the center of the display board.

Display of Gerdany by Nadia Emelyanova 

Poppy brooches by Valentyna Konkolowskaya

"Gerdany Tour" & Snowflakes in Ivano Frankivsk

Ivano-Frankivsk Region embroidered by Lubov Drohomyretska, 2011

In between visits and further research about beadwork, I had the opportunity to show the "Tour of Gerdany Regions of Ukraine" at the Regional Educational Methodological Center (ОНМЦ) on Aug 30th.

Attentive audience listens to the Gerdany intro, ОНМЦ

This was followed by a Master Class on making my famous Fan Wheel Snowflakes. I translated the instructions into Ukrainian with an overview sheet and brought the necessary materials. 

Сніжинки – кришталеві віяла, автор дизайну Марія Рипан, м. Торонто, 2011

It was nice to to have young students and esteemed bead artists in the Master Class.

Maria threads SoftTouch .010 by Softflex on a fine needle

My cultural liaison, ethnomusicologist Oleksandra Turyanska, checks progress by professionals Oksana Belehaj and Maria M. Chulak 

Success! Going home with a finished Snowflake!

Lubov Drohomyrecka, Maria, Halyna Drohomyrecka of Liubava, Maria M. Chulak pleased with the afternoon's Gerdany presentation and class

"Tour of Gerdany Regions" started at UM-A, Ohio

These presentations premiered at the Ukrainian Museum-Archives in Cleveland on Aug 12th. Luckily for me, The Hnatiuk Collection was on exhibit in the Gallery where I was to hold my Gerdany Workshops on Saturday.

 The Hnatiuk Collection Exhibit with a gerdany workshop setup

 Kilims and 'Keptar' vests from The Hnatiuk Collection

I attended the opening of the Hnatiuk Museum in Livonia, MI in the late 1990s. So many artifacts and treasures crammed into a walkout home basement was an unforgettable sight! I was just getting into beadwork and fascinated by a showcase with shelves full of gerdany. These photos start off my Beadwork Photo Album.

'Sorochka', The Hnatiuk Collection

Kudos to UM-A Curator, Aniza Kraus, for the dramatic display of a selection of embroidered 'sorochky, keptari and kilims'. By focusing on the production of the fibers and materials, the exhibit was educational. The UM-A published a book using The Hnatiuk Collection as the basis for scholarly articles on textiles from the XIX & XXth centuries with 400 great photos for reference.

Friday night at the Rypan "Movies", UM-A

My PowerPoint presentation was held in the Museum main room on Friday night. The "Ethnographic Region Tour" was a hit for the North American viewer. It was a great intro to the "Gerdany Regions" of western Ukraine. Here the viewers saw an ethnographic region map introducing multiple slides of gerdany beading from different regions. They could get an appreciation for the various styles of beading, colors and motifs.

Learning different styles of gerdany-making at UM-A

There were two contemporary beadwork Gerdany Workshops on Saturday. 

Maria helps Jennie Bochar learn how to bead

Best treat for me was the collection of beadwork Jennie brought for Show & Tell. Among the gerdany, there were her Baba's pieces brought over when she was 16 years old. I never say such a tiny Lemko 'kryza'!

 100+ year old 'kryza', J. Bochar Collection

'Kryza' details, J. Bochar Collection

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.

Beaded "Pysanky" Eggs

Article by Maria Rypan, Spring 2011

Hot off the press! In time for Easter! My article about "Beaded "Pysanky Eggs" has just been published in the Canadian needle arts magazine, A Needle Pulling Thread, Spring 2011, pgs. 90-93.

"Pysanky", batik-style Easter eggs, are inherently Ukrainian. Purists shudder at the beaded "pysanka's" very existence. Some artists refer to the traditional motifs and designs for inspiration, but use beads to decorate eggs so the patterns become stylized.

Personally, I think there is a place for beaded eggs in this day and age. They may not have the talismanic powers of the real "pysanky", but they are beautiful and bring joy to the recipients.

This article talks about the different ways of applying beads on eggs in a "pysanka" style. Photos illustrate various methods and give an appreciation of how each and every bead is applied or beadwoven. Since no two eggs are the same, the article gives plenty of guideline for beading your own.

Several artists beaded "pysanky" illustrate the different application (gluing or beeswax) or beadweaving methods. Many photos and tips come from Vira Pavlova Witkovska's work. Vira is holding her butterfly ostrich egg while I show off her trident ("tryzub") egg at my last visit to the Vernisage in Lviv. Ivano Frankivsk teacher Maria Golovan kindly provided me with the step by step beadweaving photos and basket full of "beadwoven" pysanky. There's even a bead embroidered and stuffed one in the basket! There's no end to creativity!

Spring 2011, ISSN 1715-4650

Thank you to editor Carla Comanico for suggesting this article after she receiving my metric carton of beaded "pysanky" card. Get your issue for the maximum appreciation of this art form and other needle art projects.

Beaded Icons & Gerdany Show

Marianna Savaryn, Oksana Ivanochko & Maria Rypan, St. Demetrius, Toronto

Hard to believe the Beaded Icon Show & Sale came and went on Feb 6th! Marianna, an icon painter from Hamilton, came to see the Oksana's beaded icons. Good thing KONTAKT-TV came at 9 am for an interview because there were many holes on the pegboard by 1 pm! The "Beaded Icons by Oksana Ivanochko" feature will be airing Feb 26th, 1 pm EST on Omni 1 in Toronto. You'll be able to view it on-line at your leisure because programs are archived.

Gerdany by Oksana Ivanochko

Besides icons, Oksana had several different styles of gerdany for sale. The contemporary ones were popular, especially the star-like beadwork necklaces like the one above. Loomwoven medallions also flew.

Best wishes for good health and eyesight. May God grant her many happy years.

Bohorodytsia "Znamennya", 2010, Lviv

Eugene & Maria Rypan Collection, 2011

Beaded Icons by Ivanochko

Poster for Display/Sale on Feb 6, 2011 in Toronto

Not everyday does one have the privilege of helping their first beading teacher put together an exhibit of their work! My call came mid December.

Oksana Ivanochko of Lviv, Ukraine, was in Toronto with 15 of her beaded icons. Could I help her find the venues to display her work? I've organized an exhibit of her work at my church, St. Demetrius the Great Martyr Ukrainian Catholic Church, on Sunday, Feb 6th, after Liturgies right after I get back from Tucson. KONTAKT-TV will be coming to cover the story.

The beaded icons are beautiful. Oksana has an artist write (paint) the face and hands, while she bead embroiders the garments, background and details. She's had several exhibits in Ukraine and Europe. This is the first of its kind in Canada.

Torontonians, here's a chance to see some very fine bead embroidery. There will also be some beadwork for sale. If you miss it, I can connect you with Oksana. The world is getting smaller all the time.

Oksana Ivanochko and Maria pose with her Christ icon, Jan 23, 2011