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The story of the Ukrainian Easter egg
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Neighbors|Amanda Tonoli.Shown are some of the materials provided to personalize everyone's eggs in the Ukranian Easter Egg class in Mill Creek Park.
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Pictured are some of instructor Carol Novosel's egg creations brought as examples for her Ukranian Easter Egg class on March 7 in Mill Creek Park.
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Neighbors|Amanda Tonoli.On March 7, people gathered in Pioneer Pavillion in Mill Creek Park for a Ukranian Easter Egg class instructed by Carol Novosel.
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Neighbors|Amanda Tonoli.Instructor Carol Novosel showed her class how to decorate eggs using wax and dyes on March 7 at Mill Creek Park.
By AMANDA TONOLI
On March 7 Mill Creek Park hosted a class on the creation of Ukranian-style Easter Eggs in Pioneer Pavilion.
Ray Novotny, the outdoor education manager from the Ford Nature Center in Mill Creek Park, said the park has been hosting events such as this one since the 1980s. Mill Creek Park hosts various events such as this one, but Novotny took a special interest in this class specifically.
“I like to slip in a Slavic interest,” Nototny said.
The instructor, Carol Novosel, originally showed up to this class as a student who happened to volunteer if they needed any help. After a few retirements, Novosel was called upon to help continue this class. Her background made for excellent class discussion — having her egg creations published in books and even shown on the television show, Jeopardy.
Novosel gave a background as to the tradition of decorating eggs. She said it was an attempt made by the Ukrainians to lighten up moods in the darker days of winter.
“They said let’s put symbols of the sun on everything, to make us happy again,” Novosel said. “This was so much a part of their culture, they just didn’t want to give it up. So then it was representative of Easter. And now it’s representative of everything — spring, Easter, folklore, contemporary art form, whatever you want it to be.”
Novosel said she liked telling these stories to her classrooms.
“I like children to be creative. Everything you’re learning somebody created. Everything you’re drawing somebody created,” Novosel said. “That’s why I do it.”
Novosel joked about owning a sports bar, saying creativity should be valued as much as sports.