PISANKI | HAND PAINTED EASTER EGGS
Pisanki, decorated Easter eggs, derived from an ancient pagan tradition when eggs, the symbol of life, were endowed with magical properties and were thought to ensure both a plentiful harvest and good health. The oldest known Polish pisanki date from the 10th century, although it is probable that eggs were decorated by Slavic peoples even earlier.
     In Polish tradition, the coloring of eggs was chiefly the province of young girls and women, and was done in great secrecy with the room considered “off limits” to males. If through some misfortune a man happened to enter the room, not only was he chased away, but the women had to throw a pinch of salt over their shoulders to cleanse themselves.
     The name pisanki comes from the Polish word pisac, which means to write. The traditional creation method starts with an egg and a utensil called kistka, a stylus filled with beeswax, which is used to draw the specific designs onto the egg. Next, the egg is placed in dye and the wax is removed. This process may be repeated several times on a single egg.
     Pisanki have evolved over many centuries into a variety of techniques including natural dyes, etching of designs onto a previously colored egg, and attaching yarn, straw or paper cut-outs. Today, though many of the designs are still traditional, modern paints allow for a vibrant result.

WYCINANKI | DECORATIVE PAPER CUT-OUTS
Wherever papercutting may have begun originally, the art came to prominence in Poland during the mid–19th century, becoming known as wycinanki. This art form began as sheep-herders transitioned from cutting designs out of leather into using paper as it was becoming more widely available.
     Early wycinanki were inspired by tapestries and painted decorations seen in the homes of the affluent. These designs were translated into colorful papercuts that decorated the whitewashed walls and wooden beams of peasant cottages. With time, these delicate artworks found their way onto furniture, cupboards, cradles, shelves, and so forth.
     The most well known modern styles of wycinanki come from two districts.
     First is the Kurpie cut-out, which is usually a symmetrical design, cut from a single piece of colored paper folded once and features spruce trees and birds as the most popular motif.
     Second is the complex, multicolor Lowicz wycinanki. These wycinanki involved elaborately cut and placed overlays of varying colored paper. Typical subject matter included peacocks, roosters, flowers and decorative scenes that depicted particular yearly events such as Easter and Christmas . The variety in colors used blended visually and gave richness and dimension to the art form.
     These techniques were passed down from generation to generation with new themes and ideas developing as the papercuts became more intricate and wycinanki remain a treasured form of Polish folk art.

TRADYCYJNE STROJE | POLISH TRADITIONAL COSTUMES
The complicated history of the ethnical territory of the Polish people brought about the arising of more than ten regions of folk dress, each of which has tens of varieties which sometime pertain to even the individual village. Although they vary by region, costumes generally remained brightly colored and decorated with embroidery.
     Much like the ever-changing borders of Poland, the folk dress developed or declined in relation with the material conditions of the peasants during these times. However, the workmanship of these clothing items was a matter of pride for the wearer, as the costume was an external expression of the individualism of regional groups. In their creation, there is present a great respect for tradition and they represent a rich heritage of artistic invention, finding its expression in form, color and decoration.
     The Krakow costume is considered the Polish national attire and is the most well known. The red and white stripes of the man’s pants are countered by a sleeveless coat and topped with rogatywka, a four-corned red hat, ornamented with ribbons and peacock feathers. The female costume, originally simple until embellished during the Romantic era in the 19th century, features a flowered skirt and is adorned by a wreath of flowers.
     Such clothing would have been worn by the common folk for religious processions and special occasions. Today, the world-wide popularity of folk dancing has been instrumental in preserving the beauty and history of Polish costumes.