AMERICA : CANADA : ARTIST KAREN HANLON - PRAYING WITH PYSANKY EGGS

In honor of Women's Day here is another talented Catholic witness in our time: 
Mrs. Karen Hanlon is an artist whose canvas is a hollowed egg shell. She has created many designs using traditional methods and symbols and offered the countless hours working on eggs as a prayer. This dedicated mother of four beautiful children also works at  Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy full-time. Her many years as a pysanky artist displays her great talent for art.
What are Pysanky? (Shared from OLSWA)

Ukrainian Easter eggs, or pysanky, are powerful symbols of the Easter mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection for the salvation of mankind. In pre-Christian times the people of Eastern Europe exchanged decorated eggs in the spring as a sign of their joy in the return of new life after a long winter. When Ukraine was converted to Christianity in 980AD, these decorated eggs took on a whole new meaning. They became symbols of the rising of Christ from the dead, and of the new life we receive in Him. The designs on the eggs have special meanings as well, and tell the story of the Easter message. That is why pysanky, like icons, are said to be “written” rather than “painted.” Traditionally the writing of Ukrainian Easter eggs has been accompanied by prayer and fasting, and all the time spent working on an egg is offered up as a prayer for the person to whom it will be given. Below are some of Karen's creations: 

Pysanky are created using a wax resist method. Rather than being painted, the eggs are placed over and over again in different colours of dye.  After each dye bath, melted beeswax is applied to the parts of the egg which are to remain that colour using a tool called a kistka, which is like a very tiny funnel on a stick. After all the desired layers of wax and dye have been applied, the wax is removed, and the coloured patterns which were hidden underneath shine forth.