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

Maharaja Exhibit at AGO

Patiala Necklace by Cartier, 1928, Paris (photo of notecard)

Saw the "Maharaja: The Splendour of India's Royal Courts" exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), Toronto, with Jo-Ann and Dolores. Through Indian paintings from 1700's onwards, we saw royal life in miniature, i.e. processions, events and stories. Such brilliance! The finest details in clothing patterns and jewelry seemed to be painted with a single hair. We marveled, "How did they do that?". There also was furniture, decorative arts, garments and jewelry. Lots of inspiration for beadwork... The Maharaja exhibit continues to April 3rd. Don't miss it!

Maharaja Poster outside AGO

Most of the opulent and lavish jewelry was worn by men, the Maharajas, not the Maharani women! Now that's a switch.

This was a great start to the Ukrainian New Year (Julian calendar).

Christmas on the Julian Calendar

Christmas tree at home, MI

Best wishes of a Blessed and Peaceful Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Creative New Year.

"Embroidered" satin ornaments by Maria

I was on my hands and knees late Monday a week ago photographing my 9 easels for the International One of a Kind Exhibit at JOGS in Tucson. Once I finished the easels, the Christmas tree in the corner of the room caught my eye. It was unique and magical...

It dawned on me the tree decorations were mostly homemade. My mother Martha (1927-2001) made plastic canvas snowflakes with each of her 4 granddaughters and I made all the satin sequins ornaments. She decorated this artificial tree with every one of my "embroidered" balls, mixed in solid colored ones and added silver garland. Now Nina, my step-mother, makes an annual trip up the stairs with the tree all-decorated and puts it into the icon corner. Afterwards she takes it downstairs.

The designs on the satin balls were inspired by Ukrainian embroidery patterns. I had an artistic license and used sequins to render the designs in traditional or contemporary color motifs. The outer circumference of the balls were fairly thin and allowed sequins on tiny head pins to be easily pushed in one at a time. The same was true for the box of satin thread bell and rondelle-shaped ornaments. It was best to steer clear of the thicker plastic near the hanger or bottom. The ornaments were created during my late high school/early college days. Each one was then tied on a ribbed curly ribbon. I'm amazed at the quality of that ribbon! And the satin balls have held up so well 40 years later! May the tradition continue for many more.

"Embroidered" with sequins & pins

Веселих Свят та Щасливого Нового Року!

El Anatsui's ROM Installation

Fragment of "Straying Continents", 2010

Started off the New Year with a visit to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). Was blown away by Anatsui's art. First went to see the 4th floor exhibit "When I last Wrote to You about Africa". It was a retrospective of Africa's contemporary artist's forty years of painting, sculpture, woodwork and metal multi-element compositions. No photos allowed... that's okay.... I took mental snapshots.

I really liked the compositions of aluminum and copper wire. They started with a discarded bag of liquor bottle caps. It's amazing how many different ways a cap can be cut, folded, punched and twisted! This alone was a lesson in playing and trying out all kinds of ways to manipulate whatever your medium may be!

Close-up of metal liquor bottle caps

Lucky for me, the ROM commissioned a wall installation called "Straying Continents", 2010. It's installed on entry wall of the 3rd floor ROM Crystal. Thank goodness I had my iPhone to photograph sections of an incredible installation.

Fragment of "Straying Continents" by El Anatsui, ROM, 2010

I found Anatsui's work fresh and inspirational. He plays with color, patterns, textures, negative space, layering. Reminded me of beadwork on a large scale.

Fragment of "Straying Continents", 2010

Connecting with Facebook Friends

Rypan Designs - "Sedona Kilim", TBS 2000 Bag of Bead Challenge

Rypan Designs now has a page on Facebook. So do I... Thanks to my friend and #1 assistant Jo-Ann, I'm starting to get the hang of connecting with the wide world of Facebook. I never realized how small the world really was until we were just checking out features. There's someone I know, and as I'm clicking on "Add as Friend"... and then there are Mutual Friends.... There is no end... If you're reading this, don't be shy about "Adding me as a friend". Let's keep in touch.

My "Sedona Kilim" is my "face" for Rypan Designs. My "photo" is for my personal page. They're interchangeable because we want to share beadwork ideas and news where ever it's most suitable.

Best wishes for a Happy, Healthy and Creative New Year!

З Новим Роком, бажаю Вам натхнення та творчих ідей,

Марія