Wiesława Bogdańska is a multi-talented artist and expert in Kurpie traditions. Her passion for Kurpie Folk Art began as a child, her grandmother - Stefania Konopka, her mother - Maria Chrostek and her aunt - Czesława Konopkówna were all masters of Kurpie Folk Art.
Bogdańska’s skill in creating wyncinanki (paper cutout) is widely known and respected. Her wyncinanki adorn collections of museums in Berlin, Białystok, Warsaw, Łomża, Kraków, Płock, Toruń and Ostrołęka. In the years 1991-1992, she designed and made cutouts for opłatek wafer decorations for Pope John Paul II, commissioned by the Pauline Fathers. Also, her wycinanki was presented by the Mazovian Voivode to the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet.
Bogdańska enjoys sharing her knowledge of Kurpie Folk Art and participates in educational events organized by museums, cultural centers and schools. In 2021, organized by the Polish American Foundation of CT, she held class via ZOOM, to teach Americans the art of wyncinanki and Kurpie kwiaty (paper flowers).
Since 1998, Bogdańska has been working in Zagroda Kurpiowska as a museum guide and folk art instructor. She cooperates with SRLiA "Kurpianka", is a member of the Association of Folk Artists, and is the register of Folk Artists "Cepelia.”
List of Awards received by Wiesława Bogdańska
1988 - Youth Award Stanisław Wyspiański
1998 - Badge "Distinguished Culture Activist"
2006 - Award of the President of SRLiA in Kadzidło
2005 - Honorary Badge of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage "Meritorious for Polish Culture"
2005- Prize Oskar Kolberg 2005- Medal "Merit for Cepelia"
2008 - Medal of the Marshal "Pro Masovia"
2008 - Kurpik - Award of the President of the Kurpie Association
2009 - Annual Award of the Marshal of the Province of mazowieckie
2009- Occasional award of the Staroste of Ostrołęka on the occasion of the jubilee 15th edition of "In the Footsteps of Kurpie"
2010 - Award of the Director of the Kurpie Culture Center in Kadzidło 2011- Award of the Mayor of Kadzidło Commune
2012- Medal "For Merit to Culture Gloria Artis"
List of International presentations/classes
Germany 2001 - Exhibition "Polish Folk Cutouts" Sweden 2001 - Polish Days
Germany 2001-2003 - Kulturen In treffpunkt
Sweden 2003 - Sweden-presentation wyncinanki
Athens, Greece 2003 - Presentation of folk art
Berlin, Germany 2004 - Wycinanki Demonstration
Stockholm, Sweden 2004, 2007 - Class for paper flowers
Japan 2005 - Show during the World Exhibition EXPO
Reykjavik, Iceland 2006 - Festival of Polish culture
Portdown, Ireland 2007 -Country comes to Town
Switzerland 2007 - Christmas decorations show
Yerevan, Armenia 2012 - Europe Days
