As a first-generation American, I grew up speaking Polish and living between cultures—one shaped by my family’s traditions and another by the world beyond them. Over time and living away from my childhood home, I began returning to my roots with a deeper understanding - I was seeking not only where I came from, but how to carry those traditions forward.

Polish Pająki was born from this rediscovery. It is a way of redefining what it means to be Polish today—honoring heritage while allowing it to evolve, and creating something meaningful to pass down to my own family.

Traditionally, pająki were handcrafted paper chandeliers hung from the ceilings of Polish homes. They were believed to bring abundance, harmony, and protection to the space they occupied—objects made with care and intention, meant to watch over daily life and special moments alike. Their beauty was not only visual, but symbolic.

In my work, pająki are treated as more than an ornament. They are created to feel special and almost magical to be around—quietly protective, grounding, and full of meaning. By incorporating modern materials such as gemstones, glass, paper, and unexpected details, each piece bridges past and present, transforming a historic folk art into something that feels alive in contemporary spaces.

This practice is also deeply connected to movement and celebration—to folk dancing, music, and the communal joy woven through Polish culture. Color, symmetry, and rhythm come together as a tribute to traditions that are meant to be lived, not forgotten.

Polish Pająki is a celebration of Polish culture in all its beauty and depth. It honors the belief that objects made with intention carry energy, memory, and care—and that folk art, when respected and reimagined thoughtfully, can continue to protect, inspire, and connect generations.

Each pająk is made as a small guardian of beauty—meant to bring warmth, meaning, and a sense of protection into the spaces it inhabits.