Eggs - travaganza

No opinions to share with you today, but with Easter coming up I thought I would share with you the amazing works of art that my wonderfully talented mother creates. All of these are made from eggs.

Egg artistry is the art or craft of decorating eggs and is rapidly growing in popularity. Any bird egg can be used, but most often the larger and stronger the eggshell is, the more favoured it is.

Goose, duck and hens' eggs are usually "blown" - a hole is made in either end and the contents are blown out. The egg is then either carved, dyed, painted, appliqued or otherwise decorated (using a number of different techniques).

Some eggs, like emu or ostrich eggs, are so large and strong that the shells may be carved without breaking. Decorations on emu eggs take advantage of the contrast in colours between the dark green mottled outside of the shell and the shell-underlay.

Egg Artsistry originated from the wonderful creations of renowned Russian artist and jeweller Peter Carl Fabergé who made exquisitely decorated eggs.

My mum started egg artistry many years ago and has since written books, won numerous awards and now gives lessons online and travels overseas for Egg Shows in the US. She obviously took all of the 'patience' and 'creative' genes and left none for me, because while I have created jewellery boxes from eggs under her guidance, I'm not at all a crafty person.

I have a marvellous gazebo made from an ostrich egg, complete with a wedding couple that 'dances' which was the key feature at my wedding and is now housed in a glass case in my lounge room.

All of the ornaments on my christmas tree are also decorated eggs. Mum started a tradition many years ago of creating a specially designed 'christmas egg' for each of my children every christmas to hang on the tree. One for every year of their lives - including a super special one for their first christmas.

My mum's website is here for anyone interested in having a peek.

Cheers, Fi

The line between a decorative object and a work of art is a matter of critical judgement ~ Marlene Fitzgerald-Moore