A hand-painted egg (pysanka) by Maria Kruelski, now part of the Historical Society’s collection.
The late Maria Kruelski, a longtime Ridgefield resident (from 1960 to 1997), was known for her artistic and musical talents. Her finely decorated pysanky—eggs dyed in the Ukrainian tradition—were treasured, and she taught this art to family and friends.
One of her pysanky, shown here, has been donated this week to the Ridgefield Historical Society. Born in 1920, Ms. Kruelski was a violinist who started playing as a teen in a Ukrainian music trio and later played with the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra. Another phase of her musical life came when she turned to old-time fiddling and Cajun music.
Ms. Kruelski and her family lived on High Ridge Avenue and she worked for many years in the Planning and Zoning office for the Town of Ridgefield. In her later years, she lived in Danbury, where she died at the age of 91.
