An art inherited from the ancestors. It has been
passed on by their grandmothers. The art has persisted for a hundred years. It’s
an old craft. It’s inspired by their traditional costumes, which are old and by
their houses in Ciocanesti. Ciocanesti has been declared a museum village given
the national motifs found on the houses. And that’s where the art has come
from. There are fourteen older egg painters in Ciocanesti. The younger
generation, who wants to learn the craft carries on the traditions.
Method: Pure beeswax, eggs of chicken, goose, duck,
even ostrich. The first step is to empty the egg of its contents, and then
washing and drying it. The first stage is white, the second is yellow, and the
third one is red. On white, they draw the part of the design that they want to
keep white. After that they move on to yellow (dyeing egg in yellow color).
Again they paint with wax, on yellow, the parts that they want to stay yellow.
After yellow, they move on to the red color (dyeing egg in red color). Again
they paint with wax, on red, the parts that they want to remain red. Black is
the egg’s background color. After the egg is dyed in black, then it is dried
and at a heat source they wipe off all the wax that they have layered on the
egg. Then with white clean cloth is cleaned.
Demonstration at the Source: http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/short-film-showcase/incredible-egg-art-will-awe-you?utm
You can learn the craft of Orthodox Easter by visiting
the region of Bucovina on a 5 day trip April 12 - April 16, 2015.
Trip info at http://www.viatransylvania.com/tours-view/id-18/tour-painting-eggs-for-easter-in-bucovina/
The Sorbs are Slav descendants who have lived in
today’s eastern Germany and western Poland since the 7th century.
The decoration of Easter eggs goes back to centuries-old customs and can today
be seen as artistic handicrafts.
Method at the Source: http://www.grundschule-pretzschendorf.de/en/Projects/eastereggs.html
Polish Method: Make simple motifs (for example use one of the motifs from the eggs below right) on unboiled eggs
with beeswax. (Some suggest letting it cool for 2hrs). Boil water with onion
peels, add vinegar. Once brownish color is visible, add eggs and boil for a few
minutes. Let it cool. If any wax left, then remove it. You can rub eggs with
butter to make it shiny.
Simple motif demonstration at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHA5RrOwzgc
Serbian creativity includes collecting little leaves and sticking it to eggs, wrapping it with a stocking, and dyeing in onion skin giving it brownish color. Once boiled the wrap is removed leaving natural design of leaves.
