Hi, I'm Tanja Savolainen and I make orthodox decoration eggs.

I got the idea to make the eggs from some French magazine many years ago.

Little by little the eggs became orthodox easter eggs, yet some are still decoration eggs.

Orthodox eggs are traditionally together with icons, but one can hang them anywhere, window, lamps, or keep them in a bowl.

Eggs symbolize for orthodox people resurrection and new eternal life, and traditionally during the Easter night one gives an egg to friends with three kisses to cheek.

I'm influenced by slavic tradition in making eggs, aswell as for example by Europian courts in middle-, baroc- and rococo times, or by India and Tibet. Famous Faberge eggs also enchant me. Sometimes I'm inspired even by epock TV-series. I don't do it conciously, suddenly I just realize the  colours are exactly same as Doctor Zivago's Lara's dress or a troubadour's clothing from middle ages. 

Traditional orthodox easter egg is red but I see no reason why they can't be other colours too and I play with colours. 

Materials I collect anywhere I find them. Some are for example from Ladoga Lake's monastery Valaam or Konevets monastery, some I find in fleemarkets and small interesting shops all around the world. I believe in recycling and most of the materials are recycled in my eggs which are all unique.

Some people collect my eggs, every year they buy one more for their collection. Also my eggs have been given as gifts to people like the president of Finland Tarja Halonen (watch the video), and they have spread all over the world. I have been interviewed for the Finnish television news for my art (watch the video).

I have a permanent exhibition in Orthodox Cultural Centre Sofia in Helsinki, Finland.