Folk Arts - Master Artist - Tatjana Krynytzky

Tatjana Krynytzky. Photo by Fritz Dent.

Tatjana Krynytzky was born and raised in Lviv, Ukraine. While growing up in Lviv, Tatjana attended an all-girls’ school where nun, Mother Severyna, taught her to embroider using traditional Ukrainian techniques. Following the outbreak of World War II, Krynytzky’s family emigrated to Buffalo, N.Y. Worried that the techniques and history of Ukrainian embroidery would be forgotten, Krynytzky began to gather samples of embroidered cloth that had been saved by her mother and other immigrants. Krynytzky used these embroidered cloths to teach herself unfamiliar techniques. Today, Tatjana is a chair member for a local Ukrainian women’s group. She has exhibited and demonstrated Ukrainian embroidery at both Northwest Folklife and Worldfest festivals. Tajana Krynytzky hopes to pass her knowledge to younger Ukrainian generations, sharing a rich and deep heritage.

Embroidery is a prominent folk art in the Ukraine and is often seen on both men and women’s everyday clothing. Commonly embroidered pieces include: shirts, aprons, headscarves, and rushnyky, long towel like pieces used for ceremonies. The colors and patterns on garments depend on certain holidays and events such as weddings and funerals. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries industrialization destroyed most of the peasant class and encouraged a shift from traditional embroidered clothing to westernized everyday wear.

As a recipient of a 1993 Apprenticeship grant, Krynytzky taught Stephanie Skomorowsky Ukrainian embroidery. Stephanie first learned to embroider from her mother. Stephanie’s mother was raised in a Ukrainian village where hand embroidered clothing was worn on a daily basis.

As a recipient of a 1998 Apprenticeship grant, Krynytzky taught Linda Forsberg Ukrainian embroidery. Linda Forsberg is an accomplished Ukrainian egg-decorating artist. Both of Linda’s maternal grandparents were born in Ukraine. Linda currently resides in Puyallup, Washington where she is an active member of the local Ukrainian-American community.

Krynytzky received Washington State's highest artistic honor in 2001 as the recipient of a Governor's Heritage Award.

As a recipient of a 2003 Apprenticeship grant, Krynytzky continued to teach Linda Forsberg Ukrainian embroidery, focused on traditional gerdany patterns. Linda also learned about the different contexts in which each of the different types of gerdany were worn. As part of the apprenticeship both Krynytzky and Forsberg exhibited gerdans at a public library or senior center. The exhibit demonstrated Linda’s advancement and shared the beauty of gerdany with the public. Linda Forsberg and Tatiana Krynytzky are both members of a local Ukrainian women’s group.