One of the recent mediums I am working with is the art of batik (wax resist) on chicken eggs. Utilizing the same traditional process as the Ukranian pysanka (Ukrainian: писанка, plural: pysanky) the egg is decorated using a wax-resist method. The word pysanka comes from the verb pysaty, “to write” or “to in scribe”, as the designs are not painted on, but written (inscribed) with beeswax. The beeswax placed in a kistka (stylus) and is heated with the flame of a candle. The molten wax is applied to the white egg with a writing motion; any bit of shell covered with wax will be sealed, and remain white. Then the egg is dyed yellow, and more wax applied, and then orange, red, blue, purple, black. (The dye sequence was always light to dark). Bits of shell covered with wax remained that color. After the final color, usually red, brown or black, the wax was removed by heating the egg in the flame of a candle and gently wiping off the melted wax. Finally, the egg is blown using a single hole and the hole is then covered with the ornament hanger.
