Master Pysanky artist Donna Yob has been creating intricately designed pysanky eggs for nearly 50 years. Pysanky, meaning “to write,” is an egg decorating process that uses a wax-resistant process called batik.

She demonstrated her artistry at the Moravian Book Shop March 30 and 31, drawing many inquisitive shoppers to her work station.

Yob says she uses duck, goose, ostrich and rhea eggs, purchasing some locally and others on the Internet. She removes the yolk by using a Dremel to create a small hole and then a cooking syringe to clean out the egg. Once it dries she seals the hole.

Her intricate designs are her own and she uses a an electric stylus to apply a carbonized beeswax and then builds her design and colors using a combination dye and vinegar solution beginning with the darkest colors and adding lighter colors.

“It’s very slow, painstaking process,” Yob says, adding that it can take over a year to finish an egg.

Yob, who has been juried by the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen, explained that she is now looking to copyright her designs and build a web presence so she can promote her artistry.

Pysanky began in the Ukraine and has been handed down over many generations. A pysanky egg is considered a talisman for protection against evil spirits. Over time it has become an important part of the Ukrainian celebration of Easter.

Yob calls her pysanky eggs “forever eggs,” and says they sell for $40 to $50 at the lower price point and upward.