Seniors Choice NewsMagazine - Rutland's Own Pysanka Artist

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Rutland's Own Pysanka Artist - Cecelia Lalach

Cecelia Lalach started life as an unlikely proponent of Ukrainian cultural traditions. Born a Canadian of German parents Cecelia grew up in Kendall, Saskatchewan where she attended Silverhills School. As a young teen Cecelia was forced to mature early, taking on housekeeping, mothering and parenting skills when her mother became increasingly incapacitated while suffering from Multiple Sclerosis.

Forced to leave school in her early teens to parent her siblings Cecilia has devoted herself to lifelong learning and education and has become an accomplished instructor of Ukrainian culture by teaching Ukrainian Pysanky, Ukrainian Hand Embroidery, and crocheting.

Like many young women from the prairies Cecelia's conversion to the Ukrainian culture and lifestyle began when she married Nick Lalach of Wynyard. Born of necessity to fit into her new husband's more formal family structure, Cecelia had to learn Ukrainian culture to make her marriage work and to raise her children in an environment steeped in the Ukrainian tradition of close family and cultural ties.

The young couple moved to Regina where Cecelia became active in the Ukrainian Catholic Church and where she learned Ukrainian dance, culture, costume and food. There she found an able mentor in Mary Bernetzski who instructed her in the fine art of Pysanky, which became a continuing love.

Cecelia was so smitten that she took to Ukrainian culture with a vengeance. Cecelia knew she had an inherent artistic talent, was imaginative and innovative. She could see that the elder generation was passing away and wanted to help keep the culture of the Ukraine alive in Western Canada. She undertook to learn and practice as much as she could and then schooled her children in Ukrainian culture, made them traditional costumes, then ensured they were taught traditional dance, crafts and food preparation. To this day they retain their strong cultural and close nuclear family ties.

Cecelia continues to be a prolific producer of Pysanky and Ukrainian hand embroidery. She has taught courses from the University of Regina, to Cub Scout groups to elementary school children, to neighbourhood groups and does demonstrations in Shopping Malls. Immediately prior to Easter 2007 Cecelia is scheduled to demonstrate her talents at the Ukrainian School of Culture and Dance (Kelowna) where Pysanky starter kits will available. She will also be present to sell her Pysanka at the Easter Tea and Bake Sale being held at the Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Assumption of the BVM in Kelowna when that event is held. Watch your local event listings for dates and times.

If you want to learn how to Pysanky contact Cecelia Lalach in Rutland at 765-2648.

For more information on local Ukrainian Culture go to:
http://members.shaw.ca/assumption or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Step by Step Pysanka

Start with an empty egg. Then lightly sketch with pencil main division lines. All designs are drawn free-hand on the egg. Then, heat the kistka, melting beeswax, so that you can over-write the thin pencil lines with wax. All lines of the basic design that are to remain white are drawn with melted beeswax on to the egg. The wax is a protective covering, sealing that colour on to the egg and preventing any other colour from over-writing it. Colouring the eggs requires the eggs to be dipped into progressively darker colours using from the lightest to the darkest.

Once all the lines that are to be white are covered with wax, the entire egg is dipped into the lightest dye bath. Any part of the eggshell that is not covered with wax will turn that colour. All parts of the design that are to remain that colour now get covered with wax to seal in that colour.

The egg is then dipped into the next dye bath. The wax covering the white and the second colour of the design is still on the egg. The wax needs to stay in place until all the designing of the egg is done. All parts of the design that are to remain a particular colour need to be covered and protected with wax to seal the desired colour.

The red colour on the egg is the most predominant colour in designing the Pysanka. This waxing then dipping is done in turn until the egg is dipped in to the last and darkest dye bath.

Once the egg is removed from the last dye bath, all the wax that was applied from the very beginning is carefully removed. By holding the egg next to the candle flame, the wax can slowly be melted and wiped off.

The vibrant colorus of the completed egg will shine through. Then a coat of high gloss wax is applied for the finishing touch. The Pysanka is now ready to be given as a gift of love and good wishes.

Pysanky - an art by any description requiring planning, patience and attention to detail resulting in a construction of beauty that retains an essence of the inner soul of the artist.

2007-02 G.F.