Mrs Bogumiła Leśniak is a co-creator of the artistic installation – a straw spider located in the Krakowska Gate and presented during the Re:tradition Festival in 2026.
Originally from Stryszawa, Mrs Danuta Sałaciak continues the toy-making traditions for which the region is renowned.
From an early age, she learned from her grandparents (Władysław and Wiktoria Leśniak) and her parents (Emil and Genowefa Leśniak), who passed on their skills to her. At the age of 20, she began carving independently. Today, she is assisted in her work by her two children.
Mrs Danuta carves the shape of each toy from pine or linden wood using a knife, then paints it by hand. The designs she uses were inherited from her parents, while some she has developed herself, drawing inspiration from nature.
At her stall, visitors will find a wide variety of carved birds – large and small, mounted on wires, branches or shrubs, and sitting in nests. Mrs Danuta is a member of the Stowarzyszenie Twórców Ludowych and the Podbabiogórze Local Action Group, and she also collaborates with the Regional Cultural Centre in Bielsko-Biała. She has received awards and distinctions in competitions for folk toys and regional products.
Żywiec–Sucha Beskidzka toy-making was inscribed on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016.
Photo: Natalia Ogłoszka
