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ART GETS EXPOSURE: From left to right: Lesya Ruebsamen, TV per sonality Kay Russell, Oksana Fedo- rowycz, UNWLA Branch 85 president REPORT OF UNWLA BRANCH 85 IN SYRACUSE, N. Y. The ladies of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America, Branch 85 of Syracuse, N. Y., appeared on WSYR tele vision, Channel 3, on Wednes day, April 7, as guests of TV star and radio personality, Kay Russell. Miss Russell’s program, “La dies Day,” featured a ‘“Ukrain ian Easter Egg Demonstration” performed by Mrs. Oksanna Fe dorowycz and Mrs. Lesya Rueb samen. Both ladies were attired in brightly colored Ukrainian folk costumes, Mrs. Fedorowycz’s costume being from the Poltava region and Mrs. Ruebsamen’s costume from the Lemko region. Preceding the demonstration, Mrs. Fedorowycz informed the public how pysanky came to us from antiquity, and that they were decorated in honor of spring, symbol of the rebirth of a new life. Mrs. Fedorowycz went on to say that pysanky were used in rituals and pagan religious cere monies. In 988 A.D. when Kiev an Rus’-Ukraine accepted Chris tianity from Byzantium, the tra ditions of the folk calendar of the seasons were easily adopted to the new religion. She also stated that pysanky symbolize the resurrection of Christ, and that they were exchanged dur ing the three days of the Easter holiday and given with the greet ing “Khrystos Voskres” (Christ is Risen). She also indicated that the in genuity of Ukrainian women cre ated this art. The beautiful, deli cate and intricate designs on py sanky make them unique in the world, and they are defined by scholars as a separate branch of Ukrainian folk art. Mrs. Fedoro wycz also stated that scholars sometimes disputed which was first, embroidery or the art of making pysanky. It is agreed that one influenced the other, and that pysanky come from the word meaning to write. In the United States they are known as Ukrainian Easter eggs. Immediately after the intro duction, Mrs. Fedorowycz dem onstrated the first stages of ap plying wax to an egg. Then the TV camera focused on two charts drawn by Mrs. Ruebsa men while she explained to the viewing public the three classifi cations of Easter egg decora tions. She stated that they are: geometric, which is the oldest; the plant, which could be either geometric or realistic; and the animal, which is the most diffi cult to draw because of the sur face of the egg. She took time to mention some of the symbols on the charts, for example from the geometric category — dots (be ing the simplest and oldest form symbolizing heavenly bodies or stars) and the ribbon, which en circles the egg forming an end less line symbolizing eternity. Stars were also shown, which are the most beautiful of the geo metric designs. In the plant category empha sis was placed on the rose, which is similar to the star except that it has a small yellow triangel in the center which signifies the stamen of the flower. In the animal category empha sis was placed primarily on the animal’s body, for example, the ram’s horns. Mrs. Ruebsamen explained that only animals na tive to the locale were used on the pysanky. In conclusion, Mrs. Fedoro wycz melted the wax from an egg in its first stage. They then presented Kay Russel with a py- sanka decorated with Church motifs from the Hutzul region. The program concluded with a close-up of pysanky. A leader does not walk behind with a whip, but is out in front with a banner. From left .to right: Models Halia Tymchenko, Roksolanna Tymiak, Kay Russell (TV personality), Hania Wozniak and Valia Hvozda as they appeared on WSYR television
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