International Open-air Painting Workshops in Pulawy

For ten days, on the turn of September and October 2008, in locality of Pulawy and Kazimierz Dolny, the open - air painting workshops took place.

An inspiration for this event was Paula Pokorny-Ziemba who is a great artist from Wroclaw. The author of the idea of organizing the open-air painting workshops with members of Kiwanis for talented young people among whom the most gifted one is chosen to be granted artistic scholarship, is Beata Santarek from K.I. club Pulawy. She, as the Commissioner of the event, undertook this difficult and innovatory enterprise. Beata was supported in the organizational matters -she could count on the members of her club, the host of this region-Kiwanis International Club Pulawy.

The foundations of "International Open-air Painting in Pulawy" were laid out..The preparations for this event took a few months. Firstly, a general plan was made and afterwards the research for financial support began.

Anything would not take place unless Zaklady Azotowe Pulawy, President of Pulawy and dozens of small companies which gave funds, participated.

Cultural patronage was taken by Nadwislanskie Museum in Kazimierz Dolny .Due to the fact that Kiwanis International District Poland was the main partner of this affair, a lot of Polish Clubs declared their help, especially Jacek Sobocinski ( K.I. Club Pro Arte-Gdansk) thanks to whom the workshops could entertain two great artists from Academy of Arts in Gdansk, Maria Targonska and Pawel Karczewski together with students from the cost of Poland. Paula Ziemba also made an effort, not only painting and teaching younger participants but inviting two artists- Irina Maguczaja from Belarus and Leonid Szmatko from Ukraine. K.I. Club Adsum from Zielona Gora was represented by a painter Bozena Cajdler-Gruszkiewicz. Most of adult participants were Kiwanians. Everybody gave their lecturers, time and open hearts completely charitably. The Governor of Polish District I.F., Mira Harman, joined the event and took part in the last days of it. .Ten young participants at the age of 13-18 from the area of Pulawy and eastern part of Poland were chosen in competitions. The young ones were able to develop their skills in drawing, painting and composition, learn something about art and culture of Pulawy and Kazimierz which is famous for the breath taking landscapes and truly artistic atmosphere.It was not only painting but also long discussions about art, inspirations which spurred as elders as youths into action , into finding and trying new painting techniques. From the early morning hours until midnight young artists were working very hard but making them stop was a lot harder.

According to the aim of this event the artists had to choose one of the participants from Pulawy to be the winner of the artistic scholarship. There were three criteria : creativity , talent and diligence. Making decision was not as easy as it was supposed to be. All of artists in the jury admitted that the youths made a huge progress and the quality of their works was surprising high. All in all they decided to grant the scholarship to two participants - 14 years old Mikolaj and Ania, instead of just one.

The artists gave the pieces of work created during the artistic workshops for Charity purposes.

They will be sold at Kiwanis charity auctions for the scholarship. Soon you will be able to see them on the Polish Kiwanis website. Those pieces of Art are worth presentation in the biggest and best artistic galleries in Europe.

They have already been exposed in the Gallery in Pulawy.The organizers supplied lodgings, board, transport, painting accessories and admission fee to the museums.

After this year experience we started to count down to the next International Open-air Painting Workshops in Pulawy.