Paul Wirhun Paintings

'I have been working on eggshells since I was 8 years old, learning the traditional Ukrainian art of pysanky from my mother. This artistic and cultic use of eggs informs my work to t...

'I have been working on eggshells since I was 8 years old, learning the traditional Ukrainian art of pysanky from my mother. This artistic and cultic use of eggs informs my work to this day - as I believe that eggs are events - not simply objects. The shells (while the protective casing for the new life inside) are memories of the primal events that produced the eggs, intended as new life. In order to infuse new life into this ancient folk art, I have manipulated traditional processes with innovative dyeing & brush techniques, and etching, to forge a new visual language to write on this versatile, organic sphere. The facility of the shell for a range of techniques (batiking, scratching, painting, gilding) affords me a great range of visual expression to manifest ideas, events, and fantasies. “Ancient design for a new worldview” has been the mantra underpinning my studio philosophy and praxis. Picking up pieces of broken eggshells and reconstructing them into new images, the work of my studio, seems like an apt metaphor for this moment. This process born out of recycling studio detritus has offered me a new way to construct new worldview's. Bringing forward from the past images, designs, and compositions can visually realign how we see our own world in these times.' -Paul Wirhun

'I have been working on eggshells since I was 8 years old, learning the traditional Ukrainian art of pysanky from my mother. This artistic and cultic use of eggs informs my work to t...

'I have been working on eggshells since I was 8 years old, learning the traditional Ukrainian art of pysanky from my mother. This artistic and cultic use of eggs informs my work to this day - as I believe that eggs are events - not simply objects. The shells (while the protective casing for the new life inside) are memories of the primal events that produced the eggs, intended as new life. In order to infuse new life into this ancient folk art, I have manipulated traditional processes with innovative dyeing & brush techniques, and etching, to forge a new visual language to write on this versatile, organic sphere. The facility of the shell for a range of techniques (batiking, scratching, painting, gilding) affords me a great range of visual expression to manifest ideas, events, and fantasies. “Ancient design for a new worldview” has been the mantra underpinning my studio philosophy and praxis. Picking up pieces of broken eggshells and reconstructing them into new images, the work of my studio, seems like an apt metaphor for this moment. This process born out of recycling studio detritus has offered me a new way to construct new worldview's. Bringing forward from the past images, designs, and compositions can visually realign how we see our own world in these times.' -Paul Wirhun

I have been working on eggshells since I was 8 years old, learning the traditional Ukrainian art of pysanky from my mother. This artistic and cultic use of eggs informs my work to th...

'I have been working on eggshells since I was 8 years old, learning the traditional Ukrainian art of pysanky from my mother. This artistic and cultic use of eggs informs my work to t...

I have worked on eggshells since I was a child, learning the traditional Ukrainian craft of pysanky from my mother. This artistic and cultic use of eggs...