LAKE COUNTY — Geri Williamson”s art is no yolk. Her detailed egg art takes painstaking patience to accomplish.
After retiring from her position of executive administrator at Intel in San Jose and moving to Lake County, she began creating amazing works of art with eggs and winning awards for it — worldwide.
Her studio in Lakeport features upward of 500 delicate treasures. Many of the eggs are complete with music, lights, moving pieces and one features the movie “Gone With the Wind” playing under a marquee.
Williamson commonly uses goose, rhea, emu, quail, duck, ostrich and chicken eggs. She designs and makes lamps, purses, dioramas, dolls and animals, just to name a few.
Williamson”s interest in eggery began when she attended a harvest festival in San Jose in 1996.
She is inspired by Faberg? eggs, jeweled eggs made by the House of Faberg? from 1885 through 1917. The majority Faberg? eggs were miniatures and popular gifts during the Easter season. They were often worn on a neck chain.
Her intricate work with lines and beading replicates the Faberg? style. But she said she comes up with ideas everywhere and always thinks, “this would make a good egg.”
Williamson shares her knowledge and talent with students. She offers classes in her home studio. She makes a kit for each student and charges a teaching fee plus the cost of materials. She said she teaches all ages and loves sharing the art with others.
“One of my greatest students was a man,” Williamson said.
She uses a high-speed drill to cut the eggs and then carefully decorates them with beads, lights, music boxes and figurines.
An egg cabinet made from an ostrich egg features a quail egg inside serving as a picture frame for her great-granddaughter”s photo.
She has many red hat eggs, honoring the Red Hat, Purple Dress organization.
Williamson said she doesn”t really have a favorite because there”s so much she likes about all of them.
Her husband, Gary, said his favorite is the “Patriotic” egg.
Williamson is featured in books and as of Artist of Month from Egg Artistry Guild of Australia.
Williamson”s art can be viewed at www.eggorama.com. E-mail her at eggorama@mchsi.com or call 263-6476 for more information.
Mandy Feder can be reached at mandyfeder@yahoo.com or call directly 263-5636 ext. 32.
