Practicing our Carpatho-Rusyn pysanky tradition

Saturday's pysanky workshop drew a healthy crowd.

Around 60 people of all ages gathered Saturday afternoon at Nativity BVM Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in southwest suburban Palos Park, Il., for the first pysanky workshop sponsored by the the Lake Michigan Chapter of the Carpatho-Rusyn Society.

Mary Ann Woloch Vaughn practicing her craft
with board member Michael Baron.

Father Basil Salkovski, the pastor at Nativity, warmly welcomed the group; and pysanky expert Mary Ann Woloch Vaughn presented an overview of the art form shared by Rusyns and other neighboring Central European people.

She then offered hands-on help to a group of people willing to try their hand the traditional Easter egg design.

In the meantime board member John Sutko marked he season by leading the group in traditional Rusyn Lenten and Easter hymns.

Another board member, Arlene Dremak Gardiner, showed off her large collection of Rusyn Easter eggs. Earlier, she had offered genealogical tips to Rusyn Americans interested in researcing their family history.

Arlene Dremak Gardiner shows off her pysanky collection.

The full day of activities included plenty of socializing, sales of Rusyn items, including plenty of pysanky kits, so the skills acquired Saturday could be practiced at home.

Rounding off the day's various treats was plenty of sampling of sweets, including board member Richard Garbera Trojanowski's delicious home-made koláčky.