Edition 4

Through analysing the project of the High School of Fine Arts in Krosno and juxtaposing it with the experience of its coordinator, Joanna Topolska-Uliasz, one can get the impression that she has poured her entire pedagogical and artistic practice onto the project’s paper.

 

The aim of the project is the activation and integration – through art – of young Ukrainians, who, because of the war, are now living and studying in Poland. Participants in the project will become familiar with the full technology process of the traditional printmaking workshop. The project will support teaching staff who provide education in the field of fine arts by popularising creative teaching methods that go beyond the school curriculum.

 

Young people will spend their free time creatively getting to know the customs, traditions, and everyday life of neighbouring countries – seemingly small things, but so important and fundamental, especially in a mentally and physically weakened post-pandemic world, additionally experienced by the cruelty of war.

 

The project’s message of being able to see the small things, the small joys in everyday life, through which everyone, every day, can make a difference. The participation of young people from Ukraine in joint artistic work has an enormous integrating, mental and perhaps even therapeutic significance. The project is distinguished by the author’s unconventional approach to printmaking as a field of fine arts, which she wants to pass on to the participants in cooperation with the Slovak artist, Miroslav Capovčák, PhD.

 

In September 2022, a project team was formed as part of the “Small Things?” project. The team consisted of 8 people – 5 students from the Tadeusz Brzozowski State High School of Fine Arts in Krosno, aged 16-19, and 3 Ukrainians aged 15-17, who have been living in Krosno since the outbreak of war. Due to illness, one of the girls from Ukraine was unable to participate in the workshop during the second meeting. To maintain the original personal composition of the project, another Ukrainian national was invited. As a result, four people from Ukraine are presenting their work both in the exhibition and in the publication summarising the project.

 

Participants in the “Small Things?” project: Kinga Furmanek, aged 19, Yaroslav Honcharov, aged 15, Angelina Kovalenko, aged 16, Anna Kravets, aged 16, Kamil Lewtak, aged 19, Daria Łosiak, aged 17, Magdalena Prokop, aged 18, Jagoda Tomkowicz, aged 17, Sofiia Us, aged 15. The coordinating and attending teacher for the “Small Things?” project is Joanna Topolska-Uliasz, a graphic artist. The co-attending teacher is Miroslav Capovčák, artist and educator from Slovakia.

 

 

Coordinating and attending teacher for the “Small Things?” project – Joanna Topolska-Uliasz, a graphic artist. Co-attending teacher – Miroslav Capovčák, artist and educator from Slovakia

 

In October, the materials and tools needed to conduct classes as part of the project were ordered. On 5-6 November 2022, the young people had the opportunity to learn the entire technological process of traditional printmaking techniques. Under the artistic supervision of the teachers, Joanna Topolska-Uliasz and Miroslav Capovčák, graphic works were created using the techniques of papercut print, “Sketches from the Bus”, and collagraph, “Tabbies, Gingers, and Kitties, and bees and flies”.

 

Graphic techniques workshop – papercut print and collagraph

 

 

Graphic techniques workshop – papercut print

 

Graphic techniques workshop – collagraph

 

 

A second art workshop was held on 3-4 December 2022; graphic works were created using the linocut print technique under the “The First Star” series.

 

Linocut print technique workshop

 

Artworks created using the linocut print technique

 

 

A third art workshop was held on 18-19 February 2023. The young people created graphic works using the drypoint technique, entitled “How does a cucumber feel when it’s joined by the cream”.

 

Artworks created using the drypoint graphic technique

 

 

On 17 April 2023, at the Regional Centre for Borderland Cultures in Krosno a ceremonial gala to sum up the “Small Things?” project was organised, which included the opening exhibition of the graphics created during the workshops at the “Szara” Gallery of the Centre. The exhibition catalogue was also presented for the first time.

 

The Gala was attended by young people from the High School of Fine Arts in Krosno

 

 

The opening exhibition was held in the “Szara” Gallery in the Regional Centre for Borderland Cultures in Krosno.

 

 

The exhibition was on display until 15 May 2023. Then, on 25 May 2023, the exhibition travelled to be presented in the Foresterium Cultural Centre in Zagórze.  The works created during the workshops have achieved success in art competitions and contests, promoting the youngest artists from the school of fine arts and young people from Ukraine.

 

Joanna Topolska-Uliasz – project coordinator, graphic artist, painter, and cultural animator. Graduated from the Institute of Fine Arts at the University of Rzeszów and obtained her diploma in the intaglio workshop of Prof. Włodzimierz Kotkowski in 2004. She works with printmaking and graphic design, as well as drawing and painting. She is the founder of the Traditional Printmaking Studio at the Regional Centre of Borderland Cultures (RCKP) in Krosno, where she runs classes for children, young people, and adults. In 2018, the Printmaking Studio received the Prize of the Mayor of Krosno for special achievements in artistic creation, dissemination of culture, and protection of cultural heritage. She is also involved in photography and belongs to the RCKP Photoclub.

https://www.terazkrosno.pl/wiadomosci/9323-sukcesy-pracowni-grafiki-tradycyjnej-w-2019-roku