Gold Award < Back Name Private April 1, 2024 Gold Award CATEGORY: Diorama PATHWAY: Accelerated TYPE OF EGGS: Goose "Springtime in the Magnolia Tree" is my original design for this diorama. All components are handmade. The egg opening is a freeform design. The background is hand painted in acrylics showing a cloudy sky, branches and magnolias. The trim for the opening is made from sculpy which was baked and made to look like branch like. The branches inside were all made from wire and strips of paper towel soaked in a in water-glue mixture. Multiple different paints were applied including Pebeo brown, gold dust, and lightening medium. The birds are handmade using cold porcelain. They are painted, flocked and feathered to represent a local bird. The flowers are made with cold porcelain and a pink wash was applied to represent magnolia tree flowers. The flowers and birds are all in proper proportion. The stand was an old gold stand which I cut, applied cold porcelain, painted with different paints and nicked with a high-speed drill to give a bark like appearance. The roots were made this way as well. The squirrel was made from baked sculpy, painted, flocked and my cat's fur for the tail. There is a small snake made from sculpy and hand painted peeking out from the tree roots. Leather trim and black diamond chain added. Previous Next

Learn about the technique called Paper Sculpture in egg art Category Spotlight: Paper Sculpture Paper Toile and Bas Relief fall within this category. Both methods of work include the accurate cutting of paper prints which are then built up into a 3-dimensional finish.

< Back Kathy Hamilton Co- Founder, Director -US Relations As a former IEAG president, I am excited to have joined the Team at Egg Art International. I set up the Facebook International Egg Art Gallery and International Egg Art News and Events. I also set up and developed the Master Artisan Pathway along with Linda Martin. I enjoy contacting and interacting will all the artists worldwide.

< Back Florin Bejinari EAI Representative for Romania Florin and Maricica Bejinari – Art and faith that give life to icons and painted eggs From Rădăuți, the heart of Bucovina where tradition intertwines with the soul of the people, Florin Bejinari and his wife, Maricica, have transformed painting into a true-life mission. For over two decades, the two have been creating together, with painstaking and patience, works that carry within them not only the beauty of art, but also the faith, emotion and story of the place they come from. Florin Bejinari, born on January 21, 1961, in Rădăuți, is an icon painter, but his talent is not limited to icons. Over time, he has also explored painting on goose and ostrich eggs, naive painting, portraits and decorative compositions with the same passion. “I paint almost anything,” says the artist, but each work has a common thread: the desire to convey emotion and bring beauty into people’s lives. His technique combines Byzantine tradition with elements of personal innovation. In addition to icons on wood, he managed to extend Byzantine painting onto the fragile eggshell, creating true artistic jewels. Many of his works are adorned with gold leaf, which gives them a special light and a delicacy that captivates the eye. In his hands, a simple egg turns into a window to the sacred and to the Bucovina tradition of painting. Over the years, Florin and Maricica have taken this art to international stages. Their exhibitions have been hosted in Paris (2002), Venice (2007), Augsburg (2009, at the invitation of the Suceava County Council), the European Parliament in Brussels (2010), but also in numerous fairs and exhibitions in Germany, the Czech Republic, Belgium, Portugal and Italy. Their work was rewarded with important awards, including the Grand Prix at the Annual Salon of Amateur Plastic Artists in Suceava (2016) and the Third Prize at SIAN, Bucharest (2017). But beyond diplomas and trophies, their greatest joy is meeting people. At the folk crafts fairs in the country, Florin and Maricica are always close to the public, telling stories, sharing the secrets of the craft and creating friendships with other artists. “Every egg, every icon, every portrait has a soul. When I paint, I don’t just make an object, I give life to a story,” the artist confesses. Through their works, the Bejinaris have managed to carry forward the tradition of their native place and make it known throughout the world. They don’t just keep an art alive, but reinvent it, putting a dash of faith and a dash of the beauty of Bucovina into each creation.

Bronze Award < Back Noreen Stewart April 4, 2024 Bronze Award CATEGORY: Diorama PATHWAY: Accelerated TYPE OF EGGS: Ostrich This is a simple opening cut ostrich egg, done in diorama with lighting. Simple wave cut, painted, and corded. The oval base is topped with beach sand with pieces of burl wood and coral with two white seals, and resurfaced nautical findings. The interior is in miniature scale with all pieces being handmade, including paper lighthouse that is lighted, boat, shore, rocks, plants and flowers, steps, and water, etc. The lighthouse is a class earlier taught by Texas egger, Diane Angle. Interior is painted. The back image is a foil print that was applied and corded. The egg in hinged in the back to conceal the battery workings. The interior back is lined with a self-printed fabric or rocks. Previous Next

< Back Dani Fausek Marketing, MAP judge Hi! I joined Egg Art International in the hopes of promoting this truly international organization. I was trained to be a judge by Judy Guinnard and will be helping the MAP team in this area.

Silver Award < Back Alesia Kozicky July 25, 2023 Silver Award CATEGORY: Pysanky/Batik PATHWAY: Accelerated TYPE OF EGGS: Ostrich Ostrich egg decorated in a traditional Ukrainian Batik style using 8 different colors. The shapes are geometric and floral designs. Approximate Height 5 3/4 " Width 4 1/2" Used electric kistka with beeswax. Finished with high gloss polyurethane. Start to complete was 16 hours Previous Next

A fun new page for children to learn egg decorating/egg art/eggshell art. It was just started and we will be adding more fun things to do. THE KID'S KORNER Common Things to Dye Eggs Use vegetables or spices to make colored eggs. Whimsical Angel by Fran Higgins Fun and easy egg pattern How to Empty an Egg Free Video Video link on how to empty an egg for art projects Robin Hood and Co. Free Video This video by Linda Martin is for children to watch and learn how to make three adorable little characters using duck eggs. Have fun! Egg Art for Kids Book Great book by Linda Martin for only $ 6.38

Gold Award < Back Florin Bejinari, Romania May 7, 2025 Gold Award CATEGORY: Hand painted PATHWAY: NA TYPE OF EGGS: Ostrich The egg is painted in the same manner and technique as Byzantine icons on wood. Materials used is powdered tempera colors mixed with egg yolk and 22 kt gold leaf. Previous Next

Bronze Award < Back John Drlik-Mead, USA July 22, 2024 Bronze Award CATEGORY: Artist's Choice PATHWAY: NA TYPE OF EGGS: Ostrich "Sacred Madonna” This is an original and completed design. I used multiple advanced techniques in creating this elegant and stunning piece. Flip the back toggle switch, the custom designed / made lighted crystal chandelier illuminates (with numerous flat back crystals, and hand cut drop crystals), and the music box plays "Wind Beneath My Wings. Special care and technique was used to “bury” the interior flat wiring (behind the Gold Leaf), from the base to the chandelier. The egg was first completely sanded to a uniform smooth surface (removing the outer egg enamel layer and texture). There are two intricately carved crosshatch windows (the crosshatch “bars” are part of the eggshell). The interior was layered with 24k Antiqued Gold Leaf (to mimic an aged gold ceiling). A combined 12 coat process, using a professional Auto-enamel pearlescent coating and clear coat was used on the exterior of the egg. All crystals are Swarovski Crystals. Findings, base & stand, top are all gold plated. The Porcelain figurine is hand painted and permanently mounted to the piece. Previous Next

Silver award < Back Heather Romanishin February 27, 2025 Silver award CATEGORY: Pysanky Diaspora PATHWAY: NA TYPE OF EGGS: Goose This large goose egg visually gives the rainbow effect, starting with cooler tones at the poles and working warmer in the center band design. Each end of the egg features an open 8 point star, feeding into the large net design with 8 vertical lines of 5 box motifs, and 8 vertical lines of 4 box motifs. The design reflects itself symmetrically working from the center to the poles. Under the 8-pointed star on either end, the first line of design featured a net motif on one point, with a 4 tined fan underneath with blended ombre green to blue dye. Under those are the first line of the 4 box vertical lines, all enclosed with the ladder motif surrounding each box. Inside is a pink cross, dyed purple inside, with blue triangle tips for definition. Progressing into the warmer tones the next line features a two-toned pink, boxy cross motif, surrounded by a purple dotted border. Finally, the center 3 lines of the design feature white crossed down the center line, with alternating orange and gold crossed flanking them. Each cross is outlined with red embellishments and a cross-hatch design in the center. All of the white lines were laid on gently sanded goose shell, following the initial white lines the egg was acid washed in 5% vinegar. Following the etch the subsequent colors were painted on box by box. The egg was submerge-dyed in emu blue to finish. Previous Next

Silver Award < Back Yuliya Goiloda February 9, 2025 Silver Award CATEGORY: Pysanky Diaspora PATHWAY: NA TYPE OF EGGS: Goose This is an original pysanka design that I created with inspiration from the Ukrainian song “Ой у Лузі” by Андрій Хливнюк, Kiyany —written in response to the war in Ukraine which sings about red kalyna and that Ukraine will not be defeated and we will lift her up again—triumphantly. This pysanka was written for Ukrainian newcomer to Canada, and gifted during the Christmas season, to give this person a reminder of home (sadly being heavily bombed at the time); while also a wish for Ukraine to be free and peaceful again. This pysanka was created on an emptied goose egg, using the traditional pysanka writing method. Materials used: beeswax, candle heated kistky of various sizes, and various pysanky dyes. I would like to note that a gradient technique was used on the kalyna leaves to bring a little more depth and depict the multicoloured nature of leaves when sun rays pass through the canopy of trees. I feel this also gives the design a unique and interesting look. Please also note that this pysanka was glazed prior to photography and thus has some glare. This diasporan pysanka is a mix between artistic style and traditional pysanka design. There are two bands on this pysanka; one which depicts the 8-pointed stars surrounded by nets, and the second band a rose and half-flower pattern surrounded by a dotted line. These two bands divide 4 panels of red kalyna berries and their leaves on a black background. The traditional 8-pointed stars (seen in an alternating yellow and blue pattern-chosen as the colours of the Ukrainian flag) also referred in traditional pysankarstvo symbolism as the “sun and stars motif”. This is among the more recognizable symbols in pysanky and represents life, fortune and growth. The nets surrounding these stars, represent Christ and the reference of “fishers of the people”. Other recognized symbolism of the net: it is thought to represent a talisman for capturing and repelling evil. Some say that it represents spider webs, which were traditionally thought to be stewards of nature/God who protected the home and trapped evil spirits in their webs/nets. (Source pysanky.info ) The second band, made up of the rose (8 diamond star); represents love and caring. The additional half flowers that border these roses represent the rebirth of nature after winter; another wish for Ukraine to be reborn from winter and war on its soil. The 4 panels depicting kalyna: The kalyna was chosen through inspiration from the aforementioned Ukrainian ballad. Kalyna has always been a symbol in Ukrainian life, poetry, art, literature, embroidery and pysankarstvo. “The kalyna is a national symbol of Ukraine. It's associated with beauty, love, and resilience. Ukrainians believe that planting a kalyna outside their home brings good fortune and health. The red berries of the kalyna are also a symbol of Ukrainian independence and nationhood . Just like Kozaks always seemed to find consolation in their ‘loyal horse’, Ukrainian women always turned to the kalyna tree in times of sorrow, grief or suffering. In Ukrainian songs and poems, kalyna trees were often the meeting place for dates and romantic reunions. Kalyna is also known as a symbol of eternal memory of the deceased. If there was ever a grave by the road or in the field, local girls felt obliged to plant kalyna trees around it. Such kalyna groves were considered sacred. It was forbidden to graze cattle, cut down bushes nearby. The desecration of a kalyna tree would automatically bring shame and disdain upon those who did so. In general, kalyna, planted on a grave was a symbol of love – conjugal, as well as brotherly, sisterly, parental etc. “ - Info source: www.kozatstvo.net.ua All of these symbols were considered in the creation of this pysanka design and used to create a wish, a prayer, and a gift for this Ukrainian who has been displaced from their home because of war. A wish for them, as well as their homeland of Ukraine, to have a long life, to be fortunate, and wealthy. For the nets to protect them from evil. The flowers, a wish for beauty, rebirth and health of a nation. The kalyna, the deepest symbol of them all—for Ukraine to rise again; while also recognizing the immense bloodshed and grief that we as a people and nation have had to weather for so many days, weeks, months, and years. The black background of the kalyna was not only chosen to let the bright red berries shine, but also an homage to the rich black soil of Ukraine. This black soil or “чорнозем”, has also given Ukraine the nickname “bread basket of Europe” for all of the grain and agricultural exports it provides to the world—the same soil which is seeing Ukrainian blood spilled on it each and every day. This pysanka is a wish for a better future for Ukraine, its people, and the world—while also recognizing the immense grief that has been experienced since the war began in February 2022. Colours of dyes and their meaning: Red: Perhaps the first recorded color, red initially symbolized blood. It often appears on pysanky with nocturnal and heavenly symbols. Over time, it acquired a positive connotation and began to represent love and joy, as well as marriage. It is associated with the sun. Yellow: Symbolized the moon and the stars and, in farming, the harvest. Blue: Represented the sky or air, and good health Green: Represented spring, the resurrection of nature, and the riches of vegetation. Orange: We cannot assign meaning to the color orange, as the color wasn’t recognized by premodern Ukrainians. They called it “hot yellow.” Black: Particularly sacred in the color spectrum. It is associated with belonging to the “other world,” but not in the negative sense. White: purity; with black: respect for the souls of the deceased
 Source: pysanky.info Previous Next