NYC art trip blends into Ukrainian egg play solutions

      In New York City it was good to see the Holbein paintings and drawings and return to the condo to make my own portraits .It was good to visit the New York Historical Society to see all their outreach to more diverse groups but also enjoy the paintings of the city and recent purchases to their collection. Our 3rd stop, the New Museum, was also extraordinary and where I got great inspiration: I thought I knew Faith Ringgold's work but there was more. She has been painting her world on fabric all her life. Painting what is going on in my world now is my charge, 

but I am not quite ready to show my new political drawings. The final day was a visit to the Whitney, just before the Bicentennial, The Whitney like the MFA, Gardner, ICA and other museums are making efforts to include those who have not been so present in the art world in the past. Our experience is richer for that.

      All of a sudden it was bunny time and what to bring new to the event. The awful war in Ukraine was on full force. I remembered that I once painted Ukrainian Pysanki Easter eggs. I probably didn't know where Ukraine was. I would use permanent markers to draw the symbols and patterns on eggs that had been blown or sucked out of shells  I thought it a good time to think of and talk about Ukraine and the amazing leader, Zelensky.

       First I attended a Senior Center event to paint or batik the eggs as traditionally done. I had so much fun that Joe made me some tools that I might use to let the wax paint designs and the egg be dipped into color after color like batik and the wax finally melted off for a special glowing finish. You can Google how to paint Pysanki patterns, find story books and watch the process on YouTube.  I needed tools. Joe took some paint brushes, removed the brush, drilled holes and glued cake decorating tips in the holes. If the super glue does not hold in the flames, we will need another solution like tiny wires to hold the nozzles in place. Wood pencils were inserted in handles for a cool hold.

       Two other finds were the squishy eggs to paint on. I gave the grandchildren Ukrainian pattern books but they have their own ideas. And the wildest find was the shrink wrap for Pysanki egg decoration. I ordered the shrink wrap designs online from Diximus through Amazon. You merely slip the designs on any eggs. I had wooden eggs. You boil water, turn off the fire and in slotted spoon dip the 

egg into the hot water. In two to four seconds you have gorgeous eggs.Nothing wrong with easy.