My interest in pysanky began when I was eight years old. I lived in what is now known as Ukrainian Village in Chicago. I lived on the same city block or within a block or two of The Delta Ukrainian Store, Ann's Bakery, Ukrainian owned grocery stores, restaurants, and The Ukrainian Museum (some of my eggs are at this Museum). All of these facilities displayed beautiful pysanky eggs, and I was fascinated.

 

So, fascinated that on one of my walks to the corner drug store I passed a window where a lady was working on eggs, I came to a dead stop. I'd never seen anyone actually decorate eggs before. This was a dream come true for me. I stared and watched, and tried to see everything she was doing and using. I knew at that moment I just had to do them too. The lady stood up, and started toward the window where I was standing. I took off. I thought she was coming to scold me. I ran to the drug store, and made the purchase my parents sent me out to pick up. Then I had to come back and pass the storefront, the eggs, and the lady it was then that I made a promise to learn to do those eggs.

 

I spent many years after that trying to duplicate the eggs I'd seen in those stores. I was without training, and I didn't have the right tools, I had Paas Egg Kits, but that didn't stop me. At one point I was boiling crepe paper to make my dyes, and I melted down anything and everything that was wax. My first kistka was made with metal forming a cone shape. A section of a coat hanger was used to make the handle. It wasn't until the early 70's when my mother found a book describing the technique, and the materials needed  that I was finally able to create and keep my promise to do those eggs (by this time I sure had lots of practice).

 

In some form I work on my eggs daily. I may be draining, writing, dyeing, varnishing, planning, or studying different egg decorating styles. I use quail, chicken, duck, goose, emu, rhea, or an ostrich egg for my creations. The fascination with these eggs is still there.

 

While growing up in the Ukrainian neighborhood I met a young Ukrainian named Tom. We married in 1965, had three children, and now are blessed with five grandsons. Tom helps me with my artwork by taking photos of my finished eggs. Tom's interest isn't with pysanky, but with flint knapping. He knaps Indian arrowheads, and miniature stone knives. The novel twist to our relationship and our artwork is, he's of Ukrainian descent making Indian arrowheads, and I'm of Cherokee descent creating pysanky.

 

In 1994 I was able to go back to the Delta store where my decision to do the eggs was made, and met Maria. I told Maria about the lady in the window during the Easter season of 1956, and how I made the promise to do the eggs. After some time of telling Maria about all my achievements with the eggs, she took me in her arms and said, "I'm that lady".

 

Since this wonderful meeting with Maria I've received certifications from the International Egg Art Guild for Master level in both pysanky and filigree egg art. Then in 2005, I represented Arkansas with my artwork at The White House Visitor's Center. I was honored to meet Laura Bush, and go on a tour of The White House.

 

Our latest projects have been an instructional DVD set, Pysanky: Step by Step by Lorrie Popow, and a photo book "Eggs by Lorrie Arrowheads by Tom".