Egg art did not, however begin with Fabergé, but has a history dating back many centuries. The Chinese would cover eggs in gold leaf, aboriginal tribesmen would carve special symbolic designs onto emu eggs and the East Europeans have a history of wax and dye work on eggshells known as Pysanky. Nowadays eggs are associated with Easter time, but the oldest link with eggs is pre-Christian.
The modern style of egg art uses materials taken from many different crafts which makes it a wonderful medium for anyone with a creative flair. Skills from other art forms can be utilised and the method of achieving results may vary from artist to artist. The important concepts to remember are to maintain as high a standard as possible, but at the same time to enjoy creating.
Egg artists today are so fortunate - we have at our fingertips a choice of materials for our designs which have been created over centuries by artists and craftsmen the world over. New technology is constantly providing us with new materials and finishes to use and the technological breakthroughs of our age mean that the exchange of ideas is occurring far more quickly and between so many more people than ever before. If this art, in its many forms, is to survive and grow, we need to help others to learn by sharing our skills and our experiences. Enjoy your creating and help others to enjoy it too.
For more egg art, see our Gallery section.