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| Gary LeMaster ◦ 3625 Elgin Drive ◦ Iowa City ◦ IA ◦ 52245 Ph. (319) 338-2094 Fax (319) 339-9133 Email eggzotica@mchsi.com |
| Website created by Gary LeMaster • All contents © 1996 - 2008 by Gary LeMaster and The Eggshell Sculptor |
| Exclusive Hand-Carved Egg Shells |
| The Process of Carving Eggs |
Why eggs?
I personally believe that the time-honored traditions of egg decorating are too exquisite to be lost in the
hustle and bustle of modern life, and have tried to take the art to a new level.
Each and every one of my EggZotica (TM) creations is meticulously designed and carved by hand and I
am proud to be able to offer them to my customers and collectors. Even the commemorative issues are
individually carved and signed.
Are the eggs real?
Almost everyone asks me what the eggs are made of, thinking that no one in their right mind would
attempt to carve a real egg shell. They see that they are "egg-shaped" but assume that they are either
ceramic or plastic. Despite that, they are - in fact - real eggshells, constructed primarily of calcium
carbonate and produced in their original form by real geese, ostrich, rhea, emu, turkeys, chickens, etc. I
only work with eggs that are infertile or that have been fully incubated but have failed to hatch.
How are they made?
I personally believe that the time-honored traditions of egg decorating are too exquisite to be lost in the
hustle and bustle of modern life, and have tried to take the art to a new level.
Each and every one of my EggZotica (TM) creations is meticulously designed and carved by hand and I
am proud to be able to offer them to my customers and collectors. Even the commemorative issues are
individually carved and signed.
Are the eggs real?
Almost everyone asks me what the eggs are made of, thinking that no one in their right mind would
attempt to carve a real egg shell. They see that they are "egg-shaped" but assume that they are either
ceramic or plastic. Despite that, they are - in fact - real eggshells, constructed primarily of calcium
carbonate and produced in their original form by real geese, ostrich, rhea, emu, turkeys, chickens, etc. I
only work with eggs that are infertile or that have been fully incubated but have failed to hatch.
How are they made?
First, I empty and clean each egg. After the egg has dried, I use a lead
pencil to sketch the details of my artwork directly on the shell. I then cut
away appropriate sections of the design or engrave the surface of the shell
(or both), using a variety of diamond and carbide cutting tools. My tool of
choice is a dental handpiece powered by an air compressor which
generates over 400,000 rpm's for the burs to do their job.
Once the egg has been fully worked, I use my hands and an abrasive
cleanser to remove any remaining pencil marks. The egg is then
submerged in two bleach baths to disintegrate any membrane residue
from the inside surface. Finally, the egg is signed and sealed with three
or four coats of lacquer. It is then placed on a stand inside a glass dome
to preserve and enhance its beauty. Each egg is, of course, signed and
dated by the artist and comes with a signed and dated certificate of
authenticity stating the title of the egg and avowing that each egg is made
pencil to sketch the details of my artwork directly on the shell. I then cut
away appropriate sections of the design or engrave the surface of the shell
(or both), using a variety of diamond and carbide cutting tools. My tool of
choice is a dental handpiece powered by an air compressor which
generates over 400,000 rpm's for the burs to do their job.
Once the egg has been fully worked, I use my hands and an abrasive
cleanser to remove any remaining pencil marks. The egg is then
submerged in two bleach baths to disintegrate any membrane residue
from the inside surface. Finally, the egg is signed and sealed with three
or four coats of lacquer. It is then placed on a stand inside a glass dome
to preserve and enhance its beauty. Each egg is, of course, signed and
dated by the artist and comes with a signed and dated certificate of
authenticity stating the title of the egg and avowing that each egg is made
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by hand. Many people have seen photos of eggs similar to mine distributed worldwide via email and the
by hand. Every one of them was hand-carved by a friend of mine named Al Gunther, who is an excellent,
creative artist.
Eggs as Traditional Gifts
Eggs have been used for millennia in the Far East as symbols of fertility. In Hinduism, the entire world
began with a large golden egg and most people know that traditional Easter eggs evolved from an ancient
Druid tradition of celebrating the arrival of Spring with brightly colored eggs. Even today, eggs are
important gifts...
by hand. Every one of them was hand-carved by a friend of mine named Al Gunther, who is an excellent,
creative artist.
Eggs as Traditional Gifts
Eggs have been used for millennia in the Far East as symbols of fertility. In Hinduism, the entire world
began with a large golden egg and most people know that traditional Easter eggs evolved from an ancient
Druid tradition of celebrating the arrival of Spring with brightly colored eggs. Even today, eggs are
important gifts...
- • To friends as an expression of respect and loyalty
• As a symbolic wish of fertility to a married couple
• To the bereaved as a symbol of life's unending cycles
• To individuals who seek beauty and serenity in art
