Jennifer Multhopp

Location: Lubec, Maine

Jennifer Multhopp, a resident of Lubec, has been creating Pysanky for many years. She learned the intricate folk art from a friend who brought the skill from her native Ukraine.

The designs are formed as lines are drawn on the surface of the egg with a special tool (kistka) that holds melted beeswax. When the egg is dipped into successive dye baths, light to dark, the areas covered with wax resist the dye, thereby forming the design. When the egg is completed, all of the wax is removed to reveal the finished pattern.

She prefers designs which incorporate traditional symbols and colors. Some frequently used symbols include deer which signify prosperity, wheat representing a bountiful harvest, and waves circling an egg to suggest eternity. Various shades of red, the color of joy, are frequently used in the designs.

Pysanky are traditionally made and exchanged with friends and family as expressions of friendship, love, and good luck.

Jennifer’s work has been featured at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., the Rehoboth Art League, and the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore.

Northern Tides carries a wide variety of Jennifer's work in the store, call for additional information or pictures of the latest designs that we offer.