For five days, ten artists worked in front of the public at the Museum of Milling and Agriculture in Osieczna, near Leszno, creating wooden sculptures that ranged from pocket-sized forms to installations more than two meters high. Revived after a several-year hiatus, the workshops became a tourist attraction and permanently enriched the museum’s open-air setting.

Although the event has its history, this year’s edition marked a return after a break of several years. The idea, however, remained unchanged: artists of diverse experience and style worked before museum visitors, who could observe the entire process—from the first cut into a massive trunk to the final touches of the chisel.

The workshops were not a competition. The atmosphere was more like a creative gathering: the artists exchanged experiences, offered advice, and supported one another. Technique and theme were entirely free—imagination and the size of the wooden block were the only limits. Visitors could hear not only the roar of chainsaws, the hammering of mallets, and the hum of grinders, but also conversations about art, life, and tradition.

The culmination of the workshops was the presentation of the finished sculptures in the museum’s outdoor space. The works joined a collection that for years has enriched the unique landscape of Osieczna. Amid historic agricultural machinery and three original windmills, dozens of sculptures now stand—testimonies to the creativity of local artists and to a living tradition that links history with modernity.

For tourists, it is a rare opportunity: visiting the Museum of Milling and Agriculture means not only experiencing the atmosphere of a bygone village and touching history, but also witnessing art being created here and now. It is a place where Polish tradition and contemporary artistic sensitivity meet naturally.

We accompanied the artists throughout the days of work—the result is a photo feature showing the successive stages of the sculptures’ creation and the atmosphere of the workshops.

Family News Service

Read also: Herbal Bouquets for Mary in Greater Poland

Photos: Mirek Krajewski / Family News Service