The Three Brothers and their Father's House
Baba often told us stories about three brothers, Bohdan, Stefan, and Ivan. Sometimes they got into trouble. Other times they went on adventures together. There was usually a moral to the story:Katya’s Pysanka
By Katya Lysenko, Nadya’s oldest daughter
I have been making pysanky since I was nine years old, when I learned to decorate the eggs in third grade at Ukrainian school. From the first time I held a white chicken egg in my hands, I understood that there was something magical about these eggs. I knew that I could transfer my thoughts and dreams onto the surface of that delicate, eggshell canvas.
Pysanky are an ancient Ukrainian art form. When someone designs a pysanka, she is drawing upon a rich history of symbols used for hundreds of years. The colors and images that she chooses have specific meanings, and together they tell a story or illustrate a message. That is why they were often given at times of celebration, like ancient greeting cards.
The pysanka I created in The Silence of Trees was a gift for my friend, Robin, who was going through a difficult time. The egg was decorated in the Trypillian style. White circles and dots represent the universe and eternity, so that our friendship lasts over time. The orange snakes are symbols of feminine power, representing strength and protection. Brown is the color of Mother Earth, who helps us to stay grounded and reminds us of our connections to all of life. The black spirals and meanders are for health and wholeness. Together, the colors and images I chose were meant to convey a gift of healing and friendship.
Katya Lysenko (Ph.D., University of Chicago, 1980) is a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Illinois at Chicago with a specialty in Eastern European folklore and mythology.
I have been making pysanky since I was nine years old, when I learned to decorate the eggs in third grade at Ukrainian school. From the first time I held a white chicken egg in my hands, I understood that there was something magical about these eggs. I knew that I could transfer my thoughts and dreams onto the surface of that delicate, eggshell canvas.
Pysanky are an ancient Ukrainian art form. When someone designs a pysanka, she is drawing upon a rich history of symbols used for hundreds of years. The colors and images that she chooses have specific meanings, and together they tell a story or illustrate a message. That is why they were often given at times of celebration, like ancient greeting cards.
The pysanka I created in The Silence of Trees was a gift for my friend, Robin, who was going through a difficult time. The egg was decorated in the Trypillian style. White circles and dots represent the universe and eternity, so that our friendship lasts over time. The orange snakes are symbols of feminine power, representing strength and protection. Brown is the color of Mother Earth, who helps us to stay grounded and reminds us of our connections to all of life. The black spirals and meanders are for health and wholeness. Together, the colors and images I chose were meant to convey a gift of healing and friendship.
Katya Lysenko (Ph.D., University of Chicago, 1980) is a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Illinois at Chicago with a specialty in Eastern European folklore and mythology.
 |
***The actual pysanka on this page was created for The Silence of Trees by Adriana Wrzesniewski, pysanka artist and teacher. Please visit her site at www.pysanka.com. |