At the Museum at 14 Kutuzowa Street—the branch of the Museum of Ceramics—the opening of an exhibition of works by the artist took place on April 7 this year. Many residents of Bolesławiec remember her from the time when she lived in the town. Even in primary school, she showed an interest in drawing and painting, and thanks to her teachers’ initiative, her schoolwork won the recognition of jurors at numerous national and international art competitions for children. She deepened her interests by attending art studios at the MDK and the “Konrad” ZG Cultural Centre, and, thanks to the many pieces of advice received from the experienced art educator Stanisława Wojdy-Pytlińska and art. pl. Wanda Matus, she refined her artistic skills. At high school, Elżbieta became interested in art. pl. Jolanta Ajlikow-Czarnecka, who, as her art teacher, fully shaped her artistic personality. After passing her secondary-school final examinations, she applied to the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków and decided to study graphic arts at its branch in Katowice; there, too, she honed her skills as a painter in J. Duda-Gracz’s studio. After three years of study in Poland, she moved to the Hochschule der Künste in Berlin, where she received her artist’s diploma in 1985. During her studies, she was regarded as an exceptionally conscientious, precise and talented graphic artist, and already while studying in West Berlin she produced theatre posters. After graduating, she worked as a commercial graphic designer and illustrator for Berlin book publishers, while continuing to collaborate with a Berlin theatre and advertising agencies. In 1991, she began her professional activity in Spain, working for book publishers, the Museo Reina Sofía and the Ministerio de Cultura. Recently, besides painting, she has also worked in computer graphics.
Elżbieta Woźniewska’s works have been displayed at numerous exhibitions in West Berlin, Greece, Spain, the Netherlands, the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy and Poland. In Bolesławiec, her works have been shown several times at group exhibitions, including on the occasion of the anniversary of the art studio at the Youth Cultural Centre and, most recently, at an exhibition of artists originating from Bolesławiec High School, held to mark its 50th anniversary.
At the current solo exhibition, the artist presented paintings executed in an interesting, somewhat cool colour range enlivened by strong warm colour accents. They are bold in their brushwork and reveal the discipline not only of a painter but, above all, of a graphic artist. The works on display show youthful creative enthusiasm and the subtlety and sensitivity of the artist’s nature. An interesting series consists of graphic illustrations for Ovid’s “Metamorphoses” from the Berlin period, as well as Spanish designs for book covers and publications, theatre posters and works created using computer graphics.