Ukrainian Easter Egg Painting Class Sells Out In Falls Church

FALLS CHURCH, VA — As the Easter holidays approach for the Christian and Orthodox faiths, a sold-out class will be held on Ukrainian Easter egg painting in Falls Church.

Falls Church Arts, a nonprofit promoting visual arts in the city, will host artist Iryna Smitchkova for a master class on Ukrainian Easter egg decorating on Sunday, March 26. The sessions from 10:30 a.m. to noon and 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. are sold out, but visitors are welcome to visit the gallery at 700-B. West Broad St., Falls Church, VA, to see the egg decorating process and Falls Church Arts' exhibit "Texture, A Photography Show."

The Ukrainian Easter Egg, called Pysanka or the plural Psysanky, is a symbol of hope and good things to come. The tradition dates back to pre-Christian times but later became associated with Easter. The practice saw renewed popularity in the early 1990s and after the war in Ukraine began. Families may use their own personalized symbols in egg decorations as a way to bring protection to their family.

"Egg painting is a symbol of normal life from before the war in Ukraine began," said Smitchkova.

Smitchkova, the instructor of the master class, is an artist from what was the Soviet Union and moved to the U.S. She is a professional artist, instructor, and book illustrator and has a studio in Alexandria's Torpedo Factory Art Center. She has taken part in solo and group art exhibitions around the world, displaying work in private collections around Europe, Africa, and America.

In the class, participants will learn to decorate eggs in the traditional Ukrainian style with masking wax and food coloring. The class idea came from Falls Church Arts board member and treasurer, Marty Behr. It became so popular, a second session that same day was added.

The gallery will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 26. For more information on Falls Church Arts and its upcoming events, visit fallschurcharts.org.