Teacher

Äyräväinen Mari

I am Mari Äyräväinen, my main job is an IT professional and I have been working for well over 30 years. On the side, I teach Easter egg painting at the Valamo College as well as at the Kauniainen and Loviisa Adult Education Colleges. I started painting Easter eggs in 2001 in Valamo, teaching in 2004 in Porvoo and in Valamo since 2013. I have developed my own skills through my international connections and by participating in their online groups. Pysanka, or decorating real bird eggs with wax, dates back to ancient times. The word pysanka, plural pysanky, comes from the Ukrainian verb pysaty, to write. This describes the technique well, patterns are written on wax with tools designed for this purpose, such as when making batik, and dyeing is done by dipping in dye broth. The best part of teaching is seeing the student's progress and the joy of success as they become familiar with the technique. The courses have an enthusiastic atmosphere and when decorating eggs, everyday things are easily forgotten. Many people return to Valamo year after year and there could be no better compliment. My painted – or rather written – eggs can be seen on my Instagram account.