Mary Opalenik

Mary’s Ukrainian grandmother taught her the tradition of pysanka -- batiking eggs with beeswax and dyeing them with what was on hand in the kitchen and garden, such as onion skins, red cabbage and marigold petals. Mary has dyed eggs as part of her heritage her entire life. Mary is an accomplished weaver and dyer, having apprenticed for two years with a master kilim weaver in Istanbul where she learned the art of handweaving flat weave carpets on traditional looms. She has woven textiles for 25 years and lives surrounded by looms. In her studio, Mary experiments with creating natural dyes from intentional plantings in her garden, including Japanese indigo and amaranth, which can be used for dyeing pysanky eggs, handspun wool, and silk scarves.