The Art of Two X-es in Ejszyszki

In the Polish House in Ejszyszki the summer art workshops The Art of Two X-es have begun. The workshops will take place until the next Saturday and as usual they will end with the Sunday vernissage. The classes will be run by a graduate of the Lithuanian Educological University in Vilnius, an educator and artist, Katarzyna Sokołowska.

‘These are our fourteen summer art workshops’ said the chairwoman of the Polish House in Ejszyszki, Anna Jeswilnie- ‘We used to invite artists from Poland, but these days we try to work with local talents. For several years we have been working with Sokołowski siblings. We organized the series of exhibitions of Krzysztof Sokołowski and his friends from the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk. For few years Krzysztof was running summer courses with the youngest from Ejszyszki. This year his sister, Katarzyna, will run these workshops.’

Approximately twenty people aged six to ten will participate this year. Some children have already more than once took part in our courses, and some are here for the first time. As the chairwoman of the Polish House says, the workshops are positively received by parents as well: ‘Very often it happens that just after the end of one workshop session parents ask us about the next year’s sign up.’

The artist from Ejszyszki

Katarzyna Sokołowska was born in the family of educators in Ejszyszki. Here she finished her high school with the Polish language of instruction. Her older brother, Krzysztof Sokołowski, moved to Poland to stady art. She stayed in Lithuania and got admitted to the  Lithuanian Educological University in Vilnius, where she received her degree in education and arts. This ambitious artist didn’t contented herself with the bachelor dimploma. Katarzyna continues her artistic studies and plans to obtain a Master’s degree in visual arts.

On a daily basis this young painter lives in Vilnius, but she gladly comes back to her family home. Katarzyna teaches arts in the primary school in Dajnowo near Ejszyszki. Last year she gave few lectures to the youngest at the gymnasium in her home town. She used to help her brother, but this year she will run workshops with children herself in the Polish House in Ejszyszki.

When asked about profits she responded ‘ The greatest profit for me is the invitation to work with children. I’m happy when I can be here and share. I also gain from their creativity. When we grow up, we forget about certain  matters, and I discover them again in works of my pupils.’

Katarzyna is not a usual arts teachers- being an artist and educator is her vocation. She loves working with children and she also paints willingly. Her most recent works refer to the abstract expressionism, especially to works of an American artist and a representative of ‘color field painting’ Mark Rothko.

‘My favorite period in the history of painting is the art of postmodernism- says Katarzyna- However, I can find something for myself and gain from it in every period and style.’

Art is an unceasing process, a continuous development. And this is why it can’t be limited to a one period or painting style. What fascinates me the most is the painting of an American artist Mark Rothko. However, he is not the only art genius that inspires me.

The recent works of Katarzyna are made on the circle. It is interesting that it is her father- an art teacher-who prepares these round frames and painting canvas. Katarzyna’s works can be found in the Polish House this Autumn.

The Art of Two X-es

The mysterious name of this year’s workshops Katarzyna understands as follows: ‘ I have named these workshops The Art of Two X-es- which is the art of the XX century. I was a little bit afraid  how  children would understand this topic. In the previous years we had been choosing clear and specific topics, such as travels to Ancient Greece, to Africa, etc. This year we have decided to reach to less distant times. I believe children should  be interested in what is going on in the present, and it is so called ‘the ugly art’. Luckily, the reaction of the participants was even better than I had expected’.

Katarzyna will present to the children works of  the best contemporary artists;’ I really like to work and base on particular artists. This is why this year’s children workshops have been prepared on a base of famous names. Our adventure with painting has started with works of Wasyl Kandinski. Tomorrow we are going to create a collage with works of Matisse. We surely won’t miss works of Picasso or my beloved Mark Rothko.

The workshops in the Polish House

The summer art workshops in the Polish House in Ejszyszki will take place from the 18th until the 23rd of August. The Polish House has been opened in 2000. For fourteen years art classes for children have been taking place here. Tomasz Jundo, the famous graphic designer form Ejszyszki was the first one to run those workshops.