Ukrainian mum paints egg to celebrate Ipswich Town

Natalie Lawrence moved from Ukraine to the UK 22 years ago, and now lives in Ipswich, with her two sons, her daughter and husband. 

The egg is called a pysanka and is traditionally painted using beeswax and dye onto eggs made of wood or plaster.

Natalie Lawrence said she used to paint these eggs to tell stories to her children. (Image: Ipswich Museum)  Mrs Lawrence recently painted the Pysanka with real eggs in the colours of Ipswich Town as her husband and sons are fans of the club and celebrated when the team was promoted to the Premier League. 

"I started painting these eggs when my kids were little to tell them stories about Ukraine and traditional Ukrainian Pysanka eggs," she said.

"When Ipswich Town were promoted my boys were absolutely ecstatic, so I thought it would be nice to make this a memory for years to come."

The art form has also severed a therapeutic need for her while she was worried about her loved ones in Ukraine due to the ongoing conflict with Russia and also to show her love for God and celebrate her culture.

The eggs have also served a therapeutic need for Mrs Lawrence. (Image: Ipswich Museum)  She said: "I have used it in recent times, after the war broke out as therapy because there is a constant worry for me about the loved ones at home in Ukraine."

Ipswich Museum has also been impressed by her artwork and acquired the Ipswich Town egg. 

The venue is trying to add ornaments from different cultures to their galleries when the museum is ready after its renovation. 

Ipswich Museum will display the egg. (Image: JASON NOBLE LDRS)

An Ipswich Museum spokesperson said: "The incredible generosity of our community participants has given us the exciting opportunity to enrich our contemporary collections.

"Natalie’s painted egg depicts Ipswich Town Football Club, so it brings together local culture with the egg-painting traditions practised at Easter across central and Eastern Europe.”