site.btaEaster Workshop to Be Held in Polish Institute in Sofia

A workshop on papercutting decorations for Easter eggs, postcards, and openwork compositions will be held at the Polish Institute in Sofia on April 20. The workshop will be led by Grazyna Gladka and Maria Radosevic, the Polish Institute said Wednesday.

Participation in the workshop is free of charge with preliminary registration. Participants are asked to bring a boiled egg for decorating during the workshop.  

For Gladka, the creation of papercutting compositions is a family tradition, which has been observed by her mother, aunt, and sister. "Her decorations are masterful compositions. She creates openwork stars with repeated plant and animal motives - roosters, horses, peacocks - and thematic images - mostly wedding scenes, religious processions, and agricultural activities," the team behind the workshop said.

Papercutting decorations are one of the most attractive elements in the festive decor of the rural home. The decorations are traditionally made by women using sheep shears; the artworks tell stories of their creators and the history and traditions of the region.

Paper decorations are typical only of some areas of Poland, mainly in the central and northeastern parts of the country as well as its southeastern territories. Specialists distinguish seven main styles depending on the area that differ in form and colour.