< Back Konomi Kashiwaya EAI Representative for Japan, MAP Judge Because of my 40 years of bread dough flower making, I especially love to make dioramas out of bread dough, creating plants, animals, and fairies. I also love beads, thread, decoupage, painting and cutting. I participated in egg shows in the US every year for 20 years. I have also exhibited eggs in Paris, Australia and Russia. I have been participating in the Japanese Egg Art Guild since the first year it was established, and it has been a little over 20 years now. I exhibit with my students at the Japan Egg Art Guild Show every year. I also have private exhibitions several times a year. I recently published a book about my egg art works.

Bronze Award < Back Lori Radcliff-Woods, USA May 13, 2025 Bronze Award CATEGORY: Art Batik PATHWAY: NA TYPE OF EGGS: Goose I decided to challenge myself and design a couple of eggs using ideas from the book Endless Egging: A Design Resource for Batik Egg Artists, by Jennifer E. Kwong. This egg was inspired by a fellow pysanky artists using the elements from the book. I penciled on the lines, took a photo of the egg and created a coloring sheet. I chose the colors that I thought worked best together for this particular design. I used the 'stained glass' technique of waxing the lines in black and hand painted all the dyes so I could control their intensity and flow. Previous Next

Bronze Award < Back Page Davies, USA October 30, 2023 Bronze Award CATEGORY: Acid Etching PATHWAY: Traditional TYPE OF EGGS: Emu This Emu egg was inspired by my love of sea life and turtles. On the front is a hawksbill turtle. On the back is an octopus, sand dollars, coral and angel fish all free hand drawn. The band is also a freehand rolling wave. The egg was waxed, then acid etched in a 30% muriatic acid solution. This was done outside with safety goggles, mask and gloves. The egg was etched back progresseively in 5 minute intervals to reveal lighter shades of green and ultimately getting down to the white layer. Yellow accent dye was applied on the fish and red on the coral. The base keeping with the sea life theme is fossilized coral and a brittle sea star (all found by me). I entered this in acid etch category as it is more etched than traditional pysanky. Previous Next

< Back Theresa Ashmore MAP Judge- Retired

Silver Award < Back Morgan Tunow July 29, 2026 Silver Award CATEGORY: Pysanky/Diaspora PATHWAY: NA TYPE OF EGGS: Brown Chicken egg This avtorsky pysanka was written for artist Brianna LaPlante of Fishing Lake First Nation in Saskatchewan (Treaty 4), whose work and collaboration with Ukrainian newcomer Andrian Makhnachov deeply moved and inspired me. Together, they created a kokum scarf design - a floral scarf tradition deeply connected to Métis and Indigenous prairie communities. Floral scarves became established on the Canadian prairie through Ukrainian and other Eastern European settlement and, through trade, friendship, and cultural exchange, came to be embraced by many Indigenous communities as enduring symbols of grandmothers, resilience, and cultural continuity. Canada’s prairie provinces have been home to one of the world’s largest Ukrainian diaspora communities since the late nineteenth century. Brianna and Andrian’s collaboration reflects a relationship that continues to evolve today, celebrating both Indigenous and Ukrainian cultures through prairie florals while acknowledging a shared prairie history. Brianna’s scarf design incorporates flowers connected to Treaty 4 territory, while in this pysanka I chose flowers from Treaty 7, where I live in southern Alberta. Many of these flowers also exist and hold symbolic meaning within Ukrainian pysanky and folk traditions, creating another point of connection across cultures, landscapes, and generations. To me, this egg reflects the relationships between First Nations communities and generations of Ukrainian settlers, their descendants, and today’s newcomers on the Canadian prairies. Over more than a century, Ukrainians arrived on the Canadian prairies in successive waves, each carrying histories shaped by empire, famine, war, displacement, and perseverance. Throughout that same history, Indigenous peoples here continued to endure the ongoing realities of colonialism and dispossession. Despite these difficult histories, there were also moments of exchange, neighborliness, shared knowledge, and mutual influence that became woven into prairie life. In this pysanka, I wanted to honour that spirit of connection through prairie flowers, sunflowers, movement, and traditional symbolism, reflecting the idea of cultures, stories, and relationships continuing to grow alongside one another across generations. FLOWERS Sunflower The sunflower is one of the central symbols in this pysanka, representing warmth, life, resilience, and continuity. In Ukrainian tradition, sunflowers are strongly associated with the sun itself, abundance, and protection, while on the Canadian prairies they have also become a symbol of Ukrainian identity, migration, and endurance. Here, they also reflect the shared prairie landscape connecting Treaty 4 and Treaty 7 territories. Wild Rose Wild roses appear throughout the design as symbols of love, vitality, and relationships. As Alberta’s provincial flower, they connect this egg specifically to Treaty 7 territory and the prairie landscape where I live. Roses and flowering motifs are also deeply rooted within Ukrainian pysanky and folk embroidery traditions, where they often represent beauty, renewal, and the feminine principle. Rose Hips Rose hips symbolize protection, healing, endurance, and nourishment. In both prairie and Ukrainian traditions, they carry associations with survival through difficult seasons and the ability to sustain life and community. Crocus The crocus, one of the first flowers to emerge after winter on the prairies, represents renewal, hope, and resilience. It reflects survival after hardship and the return of life following darkness or dormancy. Its appearance in this pysanka also speaks to cultural continuity across generations. Sage represents cleansing, wisdom, grounding, and spiritual protection. Across many cultures and traditions, including Indigenous traditions of the prairies, sage carries deep spiritual significance connected to healing and purification. Within this pysanka, it symbolizes respect, reflection, and the importance of approaching cultural exchange with care and sincerity. Yarrow is associated with healing, protection, interconnectedness, and the strengthening of community bonds. Traditionally used medicinally across many cultures, it reflects the idea of knowledge passed between generations and the sustaining relationships formed through shared experience and care. Blanket Flower Blanket flowers symbolize endurance, adaptability, warmth, and the ability to thrive in harsh environments. Their bright, sun-like appearance reinforces themes of resilience, survival, and beauty rooted within the prairie landscape. Traditional Symbols * 8-part division: Balance, harmony, order, and the cyclical nature of life. * Rozha (ruszha): Ancient sun symbol representing life, growth, beauty, harmony, and spiritual light. * Hidden sun/spider motif: Life, warmth, creativity, protection, patience, and artistry. * Eternity bands: Eternity, continuity, and the unbroken passage of generations. * Bezkonechnyk (meander / waves): Water, movement, journeys, protection, and the ongoing flow of life. The endless line symbolizes continuity and is traditionally associated with pathways so winding that evil cannot find its way from them. * Sieve pattern: Protection and the separation of good from harmful forces. * Dots: Seeds, stars, blessings, abundance, and life-giving energy. Traditional Colors * Red / orange: Joy, vitality, passion, strength, and love. * Yellow /gold: The sun, warmth, harvest, prosperity, and light. * Black: Eternity, endurance, remembrance, and connection to the spiritual world. * White: Purity, light, innocence, and spiritual clarity. * Green: Spring, renewal, growth, hope, and new life. * Brown: Earth, stability, humility, and connection to the land. Contemporary Colours * Blue: Sky, water, spirituality, health, calm, and emotional depth. * Turquoise / teal: Healing, openness, connection, and balance. * Purple / violet: Spirituality, wisdom, mystery, and transformation. * Pink: Affection, tenderness, friendship, and care. Method Written with kistky and beeswax, then dyed and selectively acid etched. Previous Next

< Back Ingrid Wiese EAI Representative for Germany In 1995, in connection with my company, I founded the Thükop e.V. association (cooperation partner for the development of network structures in rural Thuringia). Here we took in people who for some reason needed help. With our projects we gave a task and promoted the self-confidence of the members. Our main project is the “Osterpfad – Vogtland” project. Together with 10 other places from our Vogtland, we designed Easter decorations and exhibitions that began a week before Easter and ended a week after Easter. In 2010, the name "Osterpfad - Vogtland" was decided with all member places from our region "Vogtland" and the cultivation of Easter customs intensified. The organization office of the Easter Path is in Berga/Elster, the main location of the Easter Path - Vogtland. At 6 exhibition locations in our small town you can admire many themes in the Easter garden of our association, in the local museum, in the church, in the park in front of the town hall, the decorated town hall and a large Easter exhibition in the clubhouse. The most beautiful hand-painted natural eggs from all of the locations on the Easter trail, and in particular the Christian Easter story, are presented. A bazaar including Easter café and cultural program with the clubs of our city delight many visitors every year. A total of around 50,000 hand-painted natural and artificial eggs can be admired in our city. For 2 years we have been offering small courses with music and café in our show workshop for children, adults and disabled people. We have a small music group in the club. The member locations of the Osterpfad – Vogtland meet twice a year to clarify the content of their exhibitions and organizational issues. The special features of the member locations are integrated into the respective locations. Our program is shown on our website www.osterpfad-vogtland.de , as well as a video showing all the Easter Path locations. We will soon start an advertising campaign with our book "Easter Path - Vogtland - Spring Awakening in the Beautiful Vogtland". We are happy to answer questions and registrations via our mail: info@osterpfad-vogtland.de

< Back Karen Hanlon, M.S. EAI Representative for Canada, MAP Judge Karen Hanlon has been an egg artist and teacher for over 30 years. Besides traditional pysanky and batik eggs, her works include a variety of other styles. She is best known for her Bucovinian raised wax and "cross stitch" eggs, dyed and etched brown eggs, and "stained glass" eggs. She lives in Barry's Bay, Ontario, where she teaches at a small college, including a credit course in pysanky.

Gold Award < Back John Drlik-Mead, USA March 19, 2024 Gold Award CATEGORY: Carved PATHWAY: Accelerated TYPE OF EGGS: Ostrich Authentic Ostrich Egg, with an original abstract spiral cut design, showcasing the intricately carved Giraffe Stippled Lattice design. The egg top and bottom are accented with a circular area that is stippled. A portion of the spiral cutout is stippled and mounted to the egg design bottom, appearing to seemingly float in supporting the egg. The egg is supported by a smokey translucent Flame-Glass cylinder and Mounted to a 4”x4”x2” Black Onyx Marble base. The egg was finished with 3 coats of Shop-Line 2x matte automobile clear coat finish. Due to the dark base & glass cylinder color, a neutral background color was used in the pictures to profile the art piece detail in its entirety. I used the SCM 400XS High Speed carver, with a variety of burrs, (surgical fissure, and other carbide burrs, diamond burrs). Previous Next

< Back Mark Malachowski MAP Judge Hey Folks, I’m an Ohio native and I’ve lived in Northeast Ohio all my life. I studied art education at the Cleveland Institute of Art and Case Western Reserve University. Since 1987 I’ve called Berea my home and is where we raised our 3 children. I’m a very proud grandpa of two grandsons and we’re very fortunate that we get to see them almost every day (my daughter and son-in-law moved around the block from us and our backyards connect). So, I’ve been writing/creating batik eggs since 2002. It all started when my wife purchased one of UGS’s beginner’s pysanky kits from a local craft store. She thought it would be a fun way for me to dye some eggs with the children that Easter. Well, the kids lost interest after a couple hours but, I kept writing all night and haven’t stop since then. I think right away I began to create my own designs and really enjoy the entire process. Many years ago I taught my first class at PUSA retreat and then eventually began to host my own workshops. This year will be our third year hosting Pysanky On The River or “POTR”. This is a weekend egging event held in Berea Ohio. This year there will be 80 egg artists from across the US and Canada in attendance.

< 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.

< Back Jeann Howse MAP Judge Hello! I am a former president of the IEAG, I am fully supportive of the new Egg Art International organization. I hope my many years of experience will help all the team members continue to grow EAI.I began egging about 1983.I served as IEAG president in 1985-1987 at the beginning of the Masters Program and I travelled to the various shows to promote the Masters Program. I enjoy attending egg shows I am also the past preident of the Texas Egg Art Guild and the Houston Egg Art Guild.

< Back Dr. Leslie Lisdell Founder, EAI President, Web Designer Hello Everyone! I have always loved eggshell art and have collected eggs for many years. A few years ago, I took a class at the Dallas Egg Art Show by Linda Martin. My daughter had graduated, and I had cut back on working full time as an Emergency Room physician so I finally had time to try something new.This was my first attempt at egg art and I did not even know what a rhea egg was! After the class, I started designing and making eggs. I participated in the old IEAG master program and passed the novice and intermediate diorama levels as well as the novice filigree level. Last Fall, after learning the IEAG was almost nonexistent, I formed the Arkansas Egg Art Guild. I then built the old IEAG , at their request, a new website as theirs had been taken down. That website was launched in January 2023, and is now the website for Egg Art International. I am so proud of all our team has accomplished in such a short time!