European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 21, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                I Mari no cholesterol Here by Marian Hamilton Slaff writer chore wore no cheap vegetable dyes and cutesy Bunny decals but just about anything else connected with Caster past and present could he found. 1 Here were toy it Hicks and rabbits Ceramic sculptures porcelain vases that looked like decapitated eggs decorations made of feathers or dried grass supplies for do it yours Elfers and of course eggs. There were eggs made of Wax Clay Stone Wood and eggshell. There were tiny Canary eggs Chicken and Pigeon eggs giant Turkey eggs and Ostrich eggs. There were eggs drilled so full of holes that they seemed to be hold together by air there were egg Trees and egg wreaths i Here was even in egg within an egg painted with medieval designs that looked like something from a wizards Rohe. I he cause of Oil this egg commotion was the fifth annual i Aster egg Market in Offenbach Germany. ,1 at cording to the Market s organizer Joachim Yobbo More than 70 vendors and 5,000 visitors crowded into the City s busing palais Iasi weekend. Most of the artists were from Germany hut representatives from Romania Hungary Czechoslovakia the soviet Union the Netherlands France and America also came to offer their wares. F or Many of the artists the egg creations were a labor of love i hey Sal patiently at their tables demonstrating egg decorating Ter Hiques and answering endless sure Anis of questions. I lie Mother daughter team of Roswitha and stake 7 roster is a Good example. I in elder troster combines her artistry with a careers a biology teacher Ter husband and three it Hildren help her prepare for the egg markets hut her i i Ynar nid daughter Silke Lias shown enough Talent and interest to share a Large part of her Mother s Hobby he rosters specially is multicoloured Batik designs on real eggs hey use melted beeswax and old fashioned Fountain pens to it Leale the Pic lures. Most of their eggs have poems in c Al Graphy on one Side and mate Hing symbols on the other Lac h Mark on i he eggs has a unique message i Leurle and i Lossl i Inken aim work Only in Ceramic s. Eggs of All different sizes each with unique designs Are available at easter egg markets. I Jeide is a professional artist and her husband teaches math and Art in the German school system. They team up during the Ogg Market season to sell her easter related creations. Most of the link Manns designs Are modern but the symbolism behind each is traditional Piet Mogree an artist from the Netherlands combines Art and philosophy when making his wares. His eggs Are made of Wood and they emphasize his wish for world peace Yin and Yang symbols abound and several of his creations Are covered with tiny crosses that on close examination Are actually human figures. All of Mog feel a Pic lures Are painstakingly burned into the  an elec tric pen. Dominique Crapon de Carona an american Vendor is an ethnologist and wildlife1 artist who came from the United Stales to take part in the markets. Her designs Are pm real eggs and All depict endangered species. Carona said she was introduced to the easter egg markets is years ago when she visited one with her Mother. She started participating about a yer later As part of a show publicizing the plight of endangered species. She now paints eggs simply because she enjoys it. There were thousands of eggs at the Market and no two were alike. In fact a few artists were so jealous of their unique designs that they would not allow photographers to take pictures for fear that competitors would copy them. Prices varied too. There were eggs with simple designs for As Little As 10 Marks about $6.70 and exotic eggs with ornate decorations that went for several Hundred Marks. One egg that Cost More than 500 Marks about $335 was about 6 inches tall and depicted the crucifixion of Christ. But even for visitors who did t want to buy any eggs there was plenty to see. 10 stripes Magazine february 21, 1991