Mrs Bogumiła Leśniak is a co-creator of the artistic installation – a spider located in the Krakowska Gate and presented during the Re:tradition Festival in 2026.
Mrs Bogumiła Leśniak works in sculpture.
The tradition of folk art in her family goes back several generations. Her grandmother made wooden dolls for the “Makowianka” cooperative, and her mother worked at the Crafts Cooperative in Sucha Beskidzka. Bogumiła Leśniak adopted the Stryszawa traditions in the 1980s from her husband’s family. Her father-in-law, Emil Leśniak, had been making wooden birds since childhood. He learned this craft not only from his father, but also from neighbours – the Mentel and Klimasar families. Her father-in-law’s brother, Edward Leśniak, was not only a renowned toy maker, but also a sculptor, and it was he who introduced Bogumiła Leśniak to the secrets of working with wood.
As she says herself:
“In 1984, after getting married and moving to Stryszawa, to my husband’s family home, my adventure with Stryszawa birds began. My father-in-law Emil Leśniak, his brother Edward and my mother-in-law Genowefa – who was a member of STL – were involved in carving and painting Stryszawa birds. From them, I learned the technique of making these small sculptures: shaping wooden blocks, carving with a knife, attaching elements with wire, painting and creating compositions of so-called families on branches or boards. This is how my first works began to emerge – Stryszawa birds.”
That is why at the artist’s stall, alongside sculptures and bas-reliefs with sacred and secular themes, we will also find colourful wooden birds referring to traditional local patterns and sometimes inspired by the natural colouring of various bird species.
Mrs Bogumiła continues to pass on this tradition:
“My children have taken part in my creative work from an early age. I have always tried to awaken their sensitivity to art and encouraged them to create. Making things together became an important part of our family life, and their involvement brought many beautiful successes and moving moments.”
“My daughters Katarzyna and Ewa, as well as my son Marek, took part in numerous art and creative competitions, receiving distinctions and awards. These included competitions such as “Mieszkam w Beskidach”, “Ptaki” (international), “Piękno Beskidu Małego” and “Przyjaciele naszego dzieciństwa”. Our family also received a joint award in the “Ptaszki, ptaki, ptaszyska” competition, which was a unique and very joyful experience for us.”
“All the children also eagerly took part in various fairs, exhibitions and artistic events, where they could present their works and develop their passion for creating. To this day, even as adults, they continue to help, take part in my work, are my first critics and inspire me to create and explore new subjects.”
The artist uses pine and lime wood for her works, which she then paints with acrylic paints or leaves in their raw state. Sometimes she covers the sculptures with wax. She is a member of the Stowarzyszenie Twórców Ludowych and the Local Action Group “Podbabiogórze”. In addition to local distinctions, Mrs Bogumiła can also boast the prestigious Oskar Kolberg Award, received in 2026 for her contributions to folk culture.
Żywiec–Sucha Beskidzka toy-making was inscribed on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016.
Photo: Bartek Żurawski
