Olga Kobryn
Designer; Folklorist
Awarded the title of Master Artist of Pysanky (Ukrainian Easter eggs) in 2003 by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (NJSCA), Olga Kobryn has been practicing this intricate art form since she was a young child. Pysanky, which trace their pagan origins back to 3000 B.C., are an ancient tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation and is kept alive today by artists like Ms. Kobryn. Ms. Kobryn has has held annual pysanky workshops since 1999, sponsored by the Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission at East Jersey Olde Towne Village. She participates in ethnic festivals, presents and conducts pysanky workshops in various venues, and mentored the Ukrainian Easter Egg Club at Woodbridge Middle School, where she taught language arts for almost 25 years.
Currently, Ms. Kobryn is studying the history and learning the skill of traditional Ukrainian Poltava Region embroidery under the tutelage of Master Artist and recognized tradition bearer Helen Dobusz. The New Jersey State Council of the Arts awarded the duo a 2016 Folk Arts Apprenticeship Grant. Ms. Kobryn currently resides in Iselin, NJ, with her beautiful collection of pysanky, embroidery, and her adorable doggie, Rascal.
