Wycinanki (Polish paper cutting)

Krystyna Rosas (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
Krystyna Rosas’s parents were born and raised in Poland, but Krystyna was born in England and immigrated to the United States with her family when she was 5. Her father was a potter, woodcarver, painter, and sculptor. Their home was decorated with many beautiful Polish objects: pottery, amber, weavings, carvings, and of course, wycinanki (papercuttings). Krystyna’s father taught her how to duplicate and design wycinanki when she was a small child; at an early age she recognized that these pieces were a special part of the way she thought of herself and her heritage.

Wycinanki originally decorated walls, ceilings, beams, and furniture in rural homes. The brilliant colors, charming traditional themes, and beautiful designs of the paper-cuttings eventually came to symbolize Polish folk art. Today, different regions of Poland produce distinct styles of wycinanki.