This Longboat artist keeps tradition alive with Ukrainian egg decorating

Many families have memories of dyeing Easter eggs for the holidays. In some cultures, that tradition spans many generations and still holds a special place in the hearts of the artists keeping it alive.

Part-time Longboat Key resident Roksolana Tymiak-Lonchyna is one such crafter and historian, and she recently shared her expertise at an interactive workshop.

Her family is from Ukraine, and she said sharing this art form with others is one way she stays connected with her background and supports survivors of the ongoing war in the country.

She led the workshop on March 31 at Driftwood Beach Home & Garden. Shop owner Heather Rippy has been a strong supporter of Tymiak-Lonchyna's craft since she started sharing it with community members. 

"We started doing this four years ago, when the war started," she said. "Heather was kind enough to open her shop for me to share this. One year, we did it at her home. People were so nice and sincere about it, and seemed to have a good time."

As the artist explained, pysanky aren't typically meant to be sold. The intricately designed eggs, per Ukrainian folklore, help reinforce the chains holding back monsters of yore. The designs often carry specific meanings, with wheat symbolizing prosperity and flowers signifying new growth. Artists often gift them to others to share the goodwill.

The shop offers the pysanky to anyone who makes a minimum $75 donation to Revived Soldiers Ukraine. The Orlando-based organization provides aid to survivors of the war in Ukraine, with a focus on helping wounded soldiers get the medical care they need. Last year, Tymiak-Lonchyna helped raise $11,000 to support survivors needing prosthetics and other care.

"There are many organizations throughout the United States that do wonderful work," she said of those providing aid to Ukraine. "Revived Soldiers Ukraine is an example of how one person can start something."

Sometimes, she would be up working until 2 or 3 a.m. to keep up with demand for the eggs. While it is work, she said the process of creating the designs in the evenings is also therapeutic.

Tymiak-Lonchyna, whose family moved to Longboat part-time about 30 years ago, said she is glad to find a way to support survivors through her craft.

"It is wonderful to see the community support because the point was to get the word out among Americans," she said.

The afternoon of the workshop, a dozen participants learned the steps of sketching out a design with a pencil directly onto the eggshell, melting beeswax in a kistky tool over the flame from a candle, and meticulously tracing their design.

Each layer of wax preserves the color underneath. The crafter dips the egg in the lightest color of dye they plan to use, typically yellow or orange. Then, they add more lines of wax and layers of dye until finishing the design, unveiled by melting off the wax.

One of the tricky parts of the art form is that there is no easy undo button. Any imperfections in the wax application are reflected in the final design.

The participants, most attempting pysanky art for only the first or second time, alternated between smiles and self-depricating jokes about their own eggs. Wax drips flew, fingers were dyed, and only one egg made an ill-fated fall to the floor.

However, this learning curve is part of what makes the craft so addicting, Tymiak-Lonchyna said.

She said it has been difficult watching each year pass since 2022 without a resolution to the violence in Ukraine.

However, using her skills to educate others and support survivors has helped, she said.

"My husband and I are still very active in humanitarian works," she said. "We travel a lot and still have a place in Ukraine. We go back and support our friends and other people there. It's really important to us."

Through her work, she has had the opportunity to meet many surviving soldiers who suffered injuries and years of imprisonment. What struck her most was how many of them remained staunchly committed to their fight protecting human rights.

"We heard their stories, and those stories are heartwrenching," she said.

She encourages anyone interested in pysanky to learn more about the lore behind it. She finds herself learning more about various designs all the time and has an extensive collection of eggs by various artists.

To learn more about Tymiak-Lonchyna's art, including her photography, visit RoksolanaTL.com.