#04. Sorbian Easter Egg Artistry: Serbske Jutrowne Jejka - Mark Humphreys - Thursday July 17th - 1:00pm to 3:00pm

2025 UPGRADE! New format with Participant Input!
Workshop Overview:

TheSorbians are the smallest Slavic group and are known for their unique, traditional form of egg dyeing. This is a workshop relevant to both beginners and experienced participants, enabling all to use both goose feathers and pins to create these wonders.I won high prizes in 1999 and 2000 at the annual national Sorbian egg contest in Bautzen, Germany, and I am happy to share my knowledge and experience in that area with you.

This is YOUR WORKSHOPand in order to fully establish knowledge of the art, two months before the workshop, I will email all participants a “handout”/information concerning some general cultural background on the Sorbs, so you will have greater knowledge of the Sorbs when you say “Sorbian” eggs, and can hit the ground running at the workshop with a good idea about the art and ready to just dive in and create an egg! At this same time, I will ask you all for input about what you hope to gain from the workshop and why you are participating, so I can be sure you complete this activity with full confidence & satisfaction and tailor this for you all.

We will learn how to apply the wax, secrets to constructing shapes in triangles and everyone will get some personal time with me. Unlike more popular pysanky forms, this art does not use candles, but rather feathers quickly dipped in melted wax, so a small wax melter, like in the photo (and also supplied by Eggcessories!), is needed by you.

What's Provided:

I will provide participantswith: a straight pin stuck in wood, one blown chicken egg,several goose feathers shaped liked a triangle and diamond, and one for you to take home and cut yourself, as well as one blown egg.

Access to dyes and tissuesalso provided.

What to Bring: 

What you should bring with you: a small wax melter as shown in the photobelow and is even available atEggcessories!, beeswax to melt. (At least a small averagewaxblock will be melted, but the more the merrier- one or two standard cubes.), one or two eggs (chicken or duck) of your own, with one being used as a “practice egg,” a pencil and a small plastic template to make circles, if desired.

Maximum Number of Students: 25

Workshop Fee: $35 CAD

Join us in this unique opportunity to learn about and create your own Sorbian Easter Eggs, a lesser-known but equally fascinating tradition in the world of egg decorating.

About Mark:

I first learned this tradition when I was much younger and traveled to Eastern Germany in the 1990's after having spent numerous weeks with egg writers in Bucovina, Romania. I spent several weeks with a Sorbian family in Berlin and traveled to Cottbus and villages near Dresden to have some lessons from some established artists. I think I am actually the only non-Sorb, or one of the very few to have been among  top prize winners in the well-known Sorbian Egg Contest of Bautzen, "Wettbewerb um das schoenste sorbische Osterei."