Pysanka is a Ukrainian Easter egg, decorated with traditional folk designs using a wax-resist method. The word pysanka comes from the verb pysaty, “to write” or “to inscribe,” as the designs are written (inscribed) with beeswax, not painted. The designs are written on the egg using melted beeswax and a stylus, the egg is dipped in colored dye, and the process is repeated over and over again to get the desired result.
Kathy Martin of Kalispell, Montana, began decorating eggs when her grandmother taught her how to paint and embellish them. Although her grandmother’s collection of eggs included pysanky, Kathy did not have the opportunity to learn how to decorate eggs using traditional Ukrainian methods until she took a class as an adult. Thirty years and many eggs later, Kathy not only creates eggs herself but has also taught Ukrainian egg decorating classes to others. Kathy has worked as a classroom teacher and art specialist. She is currently the Director of Education at the Hockaday Museum of Art.
At about 6-years-old Kathy decided that she wanted to be an artist when she grew up. Her inspiration was seeing an easel set up outside her grandparents’ house where her uncle, artist Bill Burgess, was painting a picture of the brick apartment building next door. Kathy received her first tubes of oil paints at the age of 12, but before that, she used her school art supplies to draw and paint. Being interested in all kinds of art, she taught herself to weave baskets from branches trimmed off the willow tree in her front yard. Kathy made her first art sale at age 10 with a miniature basket she sold for 25 cents to the owner of the local 5 & 10¢ store.
Kathy enjoys creating art in all mediums—especially painting and stained glass. She was born in Spokane, Washington where she became interested in making art of all kinds. The family moved to Kalispell, Montana in time for her to attend Flathead High School. After graduation, she got a full-time job and signed up for a ceramics class at Flathead Valley Community College. For the next 14 years, she took any art class that would fit into her work schedule; she made pottery, painted in watercolor and oils, created stained glass windows, made Ukrainian eggs, and learned to spin and weave wool. Ultimately, Kathy transitioned to a full-time student with the goal of becoming an art teacher. She received a BA in education from the University of Montana.