Friday, October 5, 2012

Ornament Workshops!




Egg Ornament Workshop!

This fall workshop will concentrate on teaching you how to create your own beautiful heirloom-quality Pysanky eggshell ornaments using traditional methods of waxing and dyeing.  I will have the usual red and green or blue and white on hand, but feel free to create the ornament that suits your personal holiday preference with my large selection of aniline dyes.  You will leave the workshop with at least one completed eggshell ornament with ornament hanger finding, but most likely you will have time to complete two eggs.  I will supply all beeswax, dyes, tools and blown eggs to work on in class.  Blown chicken eggs will be available for $2 each if you want to purchase additional eggs for future use. Kits are available for purchase either when you register for the workshop or at the workshops for $20 (with tax it is $21.65).  These kits contain everything you need to continue to make Ukrainian eggs at home: a beeswax patty, a medium kistka, six dyes and a design sheet.
* If a class doesn't "make", I will give you the option of taking the other scheduled workshop or I will refund your money.  You will be notified within one week of the workshop of any changes.
* We will be working with carbon-darkened beeswax and aniline dyes, both of which stain, so please wear art clothes or bring a smock/apron.

Ornament Workshop #1
Friday, October 12th
1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
$60

Ornament Workshop #2
Saturday, October 13th
9:30 to 1:30 p.m.
$60

To register for a class you may reserve your spot by paying the tuition through Paypal.  You may make a payment to info (at) katyegg (dot) com.  You may also contact me directly to pay with a credit card at (512) 965-7061 or (email) info (at) katyegg (dot) com.  If you want to pay by check, just give me a call for details.  If you have any questions, please call or email me.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Spring Pysanky Workshops!


According to traditional Ukrainian lore, the making and giving of intricately decorated eggs called Pysanky keeps an evil monster chained to his rocky cliff for one more year.  You are invited to join me in holding that monster at bay again this year!  Responding to many requests, I am not only offering several different workshops this year but I am also offering workshops on more advanced techniques and one workshop for kids (8 and up).


Reverse Dyeing
Saturday, March 17th 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
$60
With Pysanky kit: $81.65

In this workshop we will start with a dyed egg and work backward to a lighter color using the natural action of the dyes as well as color removal with vinegar, bleach and soap. 
 You will leave the workshop with at least one completed egg, but most likely you will have time to complete two eggs. I will supply all beeswax, dyes, tools and blown eggs to work on in class.  Blown chicken eggs will be available for $2 each if you want to purchase additional eggs for future use. If you are adventurous, I also have goose eggs $4, turkey eggs $5, quail $2, and ostrich $25! Kits are available for purchase either when you register for the workshop or at the workshops for $20 (with tax it is $21.65).  These kits contain everything you need to continue to make Ukrainian eggs at home: a beeswax patty, a medium kistka, six dyes and a design sheet.
 

Etching
Friday, March 23rd, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
$60
With Pysanky kit: $81.65

This Friday workshop’s focus will be on etching natural brown chicken eggs using acid and vinegar to create lovely two-color eggs.  Depending on time, we may also dye an etched egg to add more interest. You will leave the workshop with at least one completed egg, but most likely you will have time to complete two eggs. I will supply all beeswax, dyes, tools and blown eggs to work on in class.  Blown chicken eggs will be available for $2 each if you want to purchase additional eggs for future use. If you are adventurous, I also have goose eggs $4, turkey eggs $5, quail $2, and ostrich $25! Kits are available for purchase either when you register for the workshop or at the workshops for $20 (with tax it is $21.65).  These kits contain everything you need to continue to make Ukrainian eggs at home: a beeswax patty, a medium kistka, six dyes and a design sheet.
 

Kid’s Workshop
Saturday, March 31, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
$30
With Pysanky kit: $51.65

A workshop for kids age 8 and up. We will work on a simple design using both a crayon resist as well as the usual melted beeswax and kistka. Parents are invited to take the workshop with their kids for a fun family Easter-time activity.  I would prefer any child under 10 take the class with an adult. 
 I will supply all beeswax, dyes, tools and blown eggs to work on in class.  Blown chicken eggs will be available for $2 each if you want to purchase additional eggs for future use. If you are adventurous, I also have goose eggs $4, turkey eggs $5, quail $2, and ostrich $25! Kits are available for purchase either when you register for the workshop or at the workshops for $20 (with tax it is $21.65).  These kits contain everything you need to continue to make Ukrainian eggs at home: a beeswax patty, a medium kistka, six dyes and a design sheet. I will supply all beeswax, crayons, dyes, tools and blown eggs to work on in class. 
 

Traditional Ukrainian Egg Workshop
Saturday, March 31, 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
$60
With Pysanky kit: $81.65
 
A workshop covering the basics of Ukrainian Easter egg dyeing using a kistka tool, beeswax and aniline dyes. You will leave the workshop with at least one completed egg, but most likely you will have time to complete two eggs.  You will leave the workshop with at least one completed egg, but most likely you will have time to complete two eggs. I will supply all beeswax, dyes, tools and blown eggs to work on in class.  Blown chicken eggs will be available for $2 each if you want to purchase additional eggs for future use. If you are adventurous, I also have goose eggs $4, turkey eggs $5, quail $2, and ostrich $25! Kits are available for purchase either when you register for the workshop or at the workshops for $20 (with tax it is $21.65).  These kits contain everything you need to continue to make Ukrainian eggs at home: a beeswax patty, a medium kistka, six dyes and a design sheet.
 

Traditional Ukrainian Egg Workshop
Saturday, April 7, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
$60
With Pysanky kit: $81.65
 
Spend the Saturday before Easter learning the basics of traditional Ukrainian Egg dyeing using a kistka tool, beeswax and aniline dyes. You will leave the workshop with at least one completed egg, but most likely you will have time to complete two eggs.  You will leave the workshop with at least one completed egg, but most likely you will have time to complete two eggs. I will supply all beeswax, dyes, tools and blown eggs to work on in class.  Blown chicken eggs will be available for $2 each if you want to purchase additional eggs for future use. If you are adventurous, I also have goose eggs $4, turkey eggs $5, quail $2, and ostrich $25! Kits are available for purchase either when you register for the workshop or at the workshops for $20 (with tax it is $21.65).  These kits contain everything you need to continue to make Ukrainian eggs at home: a beeswax patty, a medium kistka, six dyes and a design sheet.
 

  • If a class doesn't "make", I will give you the option of taking one of the other scheduled workshops or I will refund your money.  You will be notified within one week of the workshop of any changes. 
  • We will be working with carbon-darkened beeswax and aniline dyes, both of which stain, so please wear art clothes or bring a smock/apron.  

To register for a class you may reserve your spot by paying the tuition through Paypal.  You may make a payment to "info@katyegg".  For other methods of payment, please contact me through the email address on the right.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Cherrywood Art Fair Starts this weekend!

I have been working hard on getting ready for my holiday shows this season! The first one Cherrywood Art Fair: Saturday, December 10th and Sunday, December 11th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. This is a sweet little art fair that is getting bigger every year, though it manages to stay sweet.

Come on out and say hello!


Friday, November 11, 2011

East Austin Studio Tour THIS WEEKEND! And Friday Egg

Traditional Eight Pointed Star Motif Ukrainian Egg Pysanka in Blue, Green, Red, Purple, Scarlet, White and Black

Good morning!  An extra special Friday Egg for you this week to mark the occasion: the East Austin Studio Tour starts tomorrow, November 12!  It is both Saturday and Sunday this weekend and next weekend from 11 to 6 each day.  Hundreds of East Austin artists are opening their studios to the public so you can see where the artwork is made, talk to the artists about the creative process, have a glass of wine or nibbles and buy buy buy beautiful artwork!  For more information on the tour, go to the East Austin Studio Tour site. I am honored to be on the tour again this year and was excited to be picked by Wayne Alan Brenner of The Austin Chronicle as one of the top 25 stops on the tour! Check out the listing; I'm in pretty good company!  I hope if you are in town that you can come this weekend or next to peruse some of my new work.

Onward!  Today's Friday egg is an ostrich egg done in the traditional eight-pointed star design.  This truly is one of my favorites: always a show-stopper!  Halfway through I was enchanted by a lovely light blue that I got from washing down a darker blue and it ended up changing my entire color scheme from scarlet, orange and dark red to lovely blues. The last photo shows the ostrich egg next to a quarter so you can get an idea of how big it is.  I hope you enjoy it!

Traditional Eight Pointed Star Motif Ukrainian Egg Pysanka in Blue, Green, Red, Purple, Scarlet, White and Black

Traditional Eight Pointed Star Motif Ukrainian Egg Pysanka in Blue, Green, Red, Purple, Scarlet, White and Black

Traditional Eight Pointed Star Motif Ukrainian Egg Pysanka in Blue, Green, Red, Purple, Scarlet, White and Black

Traditional Eight Pointed Star Motif Ukrainian Egg Pysanka in Blue, Green, Red, Purple, Scarlet, White and Black

Traditional Eight Pointed Star Motif Ukrainian Egg Pysanka in Blue, Green, Red, Purple, Scarlet, White and Black



Traditional Eight Pointed Star Motif Ukrainian Egg Pysanka in Blue, Green, Red, Purple, Scarlet, White and Black

Traditional Eight Pointed Star Motif Ukrainian Egg Pysanka in Blue, Green, Red, Purple, Scarlet, White and Black

Traditional Eight Pointed Star Motif Ukrainian Egg Pysanka in Blue, Green, Red, Purple, Scarlet, White and Black

Traditional Eight Pointed Star Motif Ukrainian Egg Pysanka in Blue, Green, Red, Purple, Scarlet, White and Black

Traditional Eight Pointed Star Motif Ukrainian Egg Pysanka in Blue, Green, Red, Purple, Scarlet, White and Black

Traditional Eight Pointed Star Motif Ukrainian Egg Pysanka in Blue, Green, Red, Purple, Scarlet, White and Black

Traditional Eight Pointed Star Motif Ukrainian Egg Pysanka in Blue, Green, Red, Purple, Scarlet, White and Black


Saturday, October 29, 2011

Friday Egg: Halloween!




No Friday Egg this week. I was asked by my friend Jen to do her makeup for her Halloween costume: a Roy Lichtenstein comic book character. I was a little nervous as I have never done makeup before but I think it turned out pretty well and had a blast doing it. If we had another six hours I would have made the dots a little smaller, but I think that we got the idea across pretty well.  Trying to do the dots evenly over a three-dimensional surface was actually a lot like working on an egg. The last picture is of friend Stephen who was dressed as "Gigantic!" I loved both of the costumes and hope they win the costume contest. Happy Halloween!









Friday, October 21, 2011

Friday Egg: Tiny Little Beauties on Location

Quail Traditional Pysanky Eggshells

This week I worked on doing a bunch of quail eggs to sell as ornaments at the various art shows I am doing this fall and the coming Christmas season.  Quail eggs are simply adorable.  So tiny and cute you can't help but want to pick one up and hold it.  Just like a baby!  They can be fragile because the smaller the egg the thinner the shell, and in this batch I lost two completed eggs being too rough with the paper towels rubbing the melted wax off.  Once I get some varnish on them they will be stronger.

Most are simple traditional designs without too much detail, but there are a few that are  more intricate and two lovely butterfly designs that I will have to replicate on larger eggs.

It was such a glorious day today that I took the quail eggs on a field trip!  We shot on location in my front yard, in the grass and in some small nests I have for display and even found a pecan husk (that is surely not the correct word but I don't know what is) to use as a prop.  I would love to see a whole tree of decorated quail eggs peeping out from the husks as they ripen.  It would be so pretty and would save me so much time!

Happy Beautiful Friday!

Quail Traditional Pysanky Eggshells

Quail Traditional Pysanky Eggshells

Quail Traditional Pysanky Eggshells

Quail Traditional Pysanky Eggshells

Quail Traditional Pysanky Eggshells

Quail Traditional Pysanky Eggshells

Quail Traditional Pysanky Eggshells

Quail Traditional Pysanky Eggshells




Quail Traditional Pysanky Eggshells

Friday, October 14, 2011

Friday Egg: A Bigger Fish Fry!

Goose Egg Pysanky with Colorful Tropical Fish on Black Background in Interlocking Pattern
A goose egg for this Friday Egg.  As with last week's egg, I really enjoy the interlocking patterns that make up this fish design, especially the fins. I took a lot of pictures, but I don't know if you can really get a sense of how these fish bodies interlock.  I hope you can.

I started with a white goose egg, waxed all the areas that I wanted to stay white and then went through all colors light to dark.  The hot pink and orange make me happy - it makes them look like exotic skeletal tropical glow-in-the-dark fish underwater at night. Or something like that.  Each fish's inner body patterns are different, which makes it a lot more interesting for me to make since the same pattern four times can get boring.

Happy Friday!

Goose Egg Pysanky with Colorful Tropical Fish on Black Background in Interlocking Pattern

Goose Egg Pysanky with Colorful Tropical Fish on Black Background in Interlocking Pattern

Goose Egg Pysanky with Colorful Tropical Fish on Black Background in Interlocking Pattern

Goose Egg Pysanky with Colorful Tropical Fish on Black Background in Interlocking Pattern

Goose Egg Pysanky with Colorful Tropical Fish on Black Background in Interlocking Pattern

Goose Egg Pysanky with Colorful Tropical Fish on Black Background in Interlocking Pattern

Goose Egg Pysanky with Colorful Tropical Fish on Black Background in Interlocking Pattern

Goose Egg Pysanky with Colorful Tropical Fish on Black Background in Interlocking Pattern

Goose Egg Pysanky with Colorful Tropical Fish on Black Background in Interlocking Pattern

Goose Egg Pysanky with Colorful Tropical Fish on Black Background in Interlocking Pattern