About

Fine Lines Folk Art

The Artist

Gail Demchuk has been creating art for most of her life, constantly experimenting with new methods and exploring various mediums. She is experienced in many techniques, including (but not limited to) sewing fabrics, embroidery, cross stitching, painting on fabrics, painting on glass and tiles, etching and sandblasting on glass and mirrors, and cake decorating. For many years, Gail was commissioned to create and maintain costumes for various Ukrainian dance groups in and around the city of Edmonton, using her own unique designs to create her patterns. In more recent years, the focus has been on creating beautiful eggshell art for sale and display. Gail has been involved with ACUA (the Alberta Council for the Ukrainian Arts) for a number of years, having hosted workshops in both Edmonton and Calgary to teach others how to create their own etched eggs using her tools and techniques.

The Art

For over 10 years now, Gail has been practicing her etched eggshell art. Having spent many years making traditional Ukrainian pysanky (dyed eggs), she decided to try a different approach to embellishing eggs. With a steady hand, designs are scratched right into the shells of either naturally colored, or hand dyed eggs. Though some of the designs may look similar, no template is used - the work is all freehand. That, coupled with the natural differences in the sizes, shapes, colours, and markings of the eggs she uses means that no two finished pieces are exactly alike. Each one is a unique work of art!

Pysaty means to write in Ukrainian. Drapaty means to scratch. So, the written (or painted) eggs are called pysanky. The scratched (or etched) eggs are called drapanky.


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