Jadwiga Niedźwiedzka

Kurpian art made with mathematical precision

She is a teacher with an MA in mathematics, although she also taught computer science. Now she’s enjoying her free time as a retiree. She’s relaxing…and making innumerable lovely regional decorations. To make her works known, she made use of modern technology and set up an internet gallery to present the tradition to the world.

Jadwiga Niedźwiedzka was born in Strzałki near Kadzidło. She worked long years in the school complex in Kadzidło. She’s known handicraft since her childhood as her mother and famous aunts dealt with art too. During her professional life she had no time for it, however. The opportunity came when she retired in 2008. Since then her talent’s been blooming. Now she can devote her time to handicraft and her grandchildren every day. She works with passion, as though she wanted to make up for the years of ‘hiberantion’.

Her art is ample and lovely. She makes flowers, bouquets, small and big crocheting compositions (net curtains, tablecloths), paper cuttings (leluje and stars), Easter eggs, kierce and byśki. All is of the highest quality and made with mathematical accuracy. Her talent, latent throughout the years, can now develop freely in the Kurpian style. Jadwiga recollects the time when being Kurpian and wearing traditional clothes did not have the same status as it has today. Now she relishes the revitalization of the local identity and enjoys the fact that regionalism has become fashionable.

She often gives her works to other people, depending on their needs and on what matches a particular person. As she works very much, the supplies in every category are enormous. And she’s always ready to offer a piece of cheesecake if only it has risen well in the oven.

Since 2009 she is a member of the Folk Artists Association. She takes part in folk events and workshops organised by the Kurpian Culture Centre. Her works can be found in many museums in Poland. The most important rewards she’s been given include the commemorative medal ‘Pro Masovia’, the Hononary Diploma from the Cepelia Foundation for the Preservation of the Polish Culture Heritage and the Honorary Distinction ‘Meritorious for the Polish Culture’. However, Jadwiga says that the best reward is when somebody likes her work. That gives her the greatest satisfaction.