In Bucovina, a northern region of Romania, the Easter tradition of dyeing eggs has been elevated into an art form. Filmmaker
Titus-Armand Napirlica along with production company
Jungles in Paris profiles the beautiful work of Elena Craciunescu in
The Egg Painter. Craciunescu is one of a dozen egg painters in the small village of Ciocăneşti. The town's buildings feature elaborate motifs, which are reflected in the decorated eggs. Using a process similar to batik, Craciunescu uses an iron-tipped stick, called a
kishitze, to apply a wax design onto a clean and drained egg. She then dips the egg into a dye bath and repeats the process of "painting" with wax and submerging it into other dyes to create a layering effect. The wax acts as a shield between each dye bath, allowing the egg to retain color from the previous dip. In the final stage the egg is held up to a heat source that melts the wax and leaves behind a stunning pattern.
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