Maria Grzegorek is a master of bibułkarstwo (the art of crafting flowers from crepe paper).

Her father introduced her to the craft when she was just a child, and over the decades, she has evolved simple childhood forms into breathtakingly intricate masterpieces. This tradition is both a family legacy and a regional hallmark, as paper-flower decoration is an essential part of the cultural landscape of the Żywiec region (Żywiecczyzna).

A specialty of Maria’s work is the naming day wreath (wieniec imieninowy), a heritage piece unique to her area. These large, circular compositions were traditionally crafted by young women as gifts for their fiancés. They gained immense popularity in the interwar period when locally produced crepe paper first became available.

Today, these wreaths—along with her bouquets, baskets, and decorative “trees”—remain striking interior pieces, celebrated for their vibrant colors and meticulous craftsmanship. Maria employs a variety of advanced techniques, including buglowanie (crimping), precise cutting, and twisting. Her dedication to the craft was recognised in 2021 with the prestigious Oskar Kolberg Award “For Merits to Folk Culture.”

A member of the Association of Folk Artists, she is now passing her skills to the next generation, including her daughter, Barbara Wandzel.

The prestige of this craft was officially cemented in 2025, when the Żywiec traditions of crepe paper decoration were inscribed on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Contact phone: +48 501589052