The Eggcellent Fundraiser for Brenda Bultsma

Welcome to this fundraiser for Brenda Bultsma, who was diagnosed with ALS in December, 2021. This is a Ukrainian egg made and donated by our cousin, Robin Cummings Johnson. Robin has a long history of creating these eggs. She was invited to the White House Easter celebration after being recognized for her work in Virginia. She was even able to gift the President with one of her eggs. Robin stopped this creative pursuit due to work demands and the toll of arthritis. Since the invasion of Ukraine, she has begun a limited production of eggs in solidarity with the Ukrainian people. She offers this egg to raise funds for Brenda’s medical expenses.

 

It is our intention to allow anyone who makes a donation to have an equal opportunity to win this egg. In other words, a $50 donation will have the same opportunity to win as a $500 donation. This is in keeping with our belief that the act of giving is more important than the size of the gift. That being said, your giving will provide help with some of the many costs associated with this illness so we encourage you to give generously.

 

We are setting a minimum donation of $50 for those 16 and older and $25 for those under 16. There is no maximum. Once you have donated, your name will be entered into a drawing. The drawing will take place on June 11, during a celebration of Brenda and Dave’s 45th wedding anniversary. Following the drawing, the egg will be shipped directly to you.

 

Artist’s Statement

I have always loved to draw, since I was a little kid. Not painting, not sculpture, just drawing. Pysanka means “to write”, and Ukrainian eggs are called pysanky (plural) because they are written with beeswax, then dipped in dyes in order of light to dark. Because this medium suits my natural affinity and aptitude for drawing, I was drawn to it and came to love it.

 

Legend has it that there is a huge evil creature chained to a hillside. Every year when Pysanky are written, the number of eggs is counted. If only a few Pysanky are written, the creature’s bonds are loosened, and evil flows freely throughout the earth. However, if many eggs are decorated, the creature’s bonds are tightened, and its evil is kept in check for yet another year. I used to sell my eggs, but now I just create them to make people happy and to keep the monster’s chain taut.

Symbology of Egg to Honor Brenda

White – purity

Yellow – wisdom

Orange – endurance

Red- love, passion

Black - darkness before the dawn, eternity

 

Cross - symbol of Christ, the overcoming of obstacles

Flowers - children, beauty

Diamonds – knowledge

Nets - interconnectedness, our call from Jesus to be fishers of men

Curls – protection

Bands around egg - eternity

Eight pointed star - completeness, God’s love of all creation

Dots - from sorrows come unexpected blessings

Triangles – trinities – Father, Son, Holy Spirit / Mother, Father, Child / Moon, Sun, Earth