Biography

Ewa Kalińska was born in Gdańsk, Poland. She studied drawing and painting in the studios of renowned Polish artists, including Marek Model and Grażyna Piórko. She studied at the European Academy of Art in Warsaw, where she trained under Professors Barbara Szubińska, Franciszek Starowieyski, and Jerzy Duda-Gracz—some of Poland’s most esteemed painters.

Between 1998 and 2000, Kalińska studied at the Academy of Multimedia in Gdańsk, earning a diploma with honors in project design, specializing in multimedia design under the guidance of Prof. Wojciech Mokwiński. She has also participated in numerous artistic study trips to the United States and Italy.

Kalińska is a member of the Association of Polish Artists and Designers and the Gdańsk Friends of Artwork. Her artistic practice encompasses drawing, painting, and textile art. She creates works inspired by the human figure, nature, and still life.

Her debut exhibition, titled Debut, took place in December 2005 at the ALTERNATYWA Gallery in Gdańsk. She lived and worked in the United States between 2007 and 2014, and since 2022, she has been living and creating in both Florida and Poland. During her time in the U.S., she attended the studios of Barbara Wasserman, Susan Hanssen, Jacqueline Downey, and Roumen Boudev at the Boca Raton Museum of Art – The Art School in Florida.

Ewa Kalińska is also the creator of religious paintings for the Chapel of St. Polycarp in Gdańsk, Poland.

Artistic Statement

I am deeply drawn to the classical sphere of art, which reflects the beauty and harmony of nature. My creative process is rooted in working with live models, still life, and nature, capturing their essence through sketches and drawings. For me, drawing is the foundation of all artistic expression. It is a fundamental discipline that nurtures precision, observation, and creative depth. Staying connected to drawing is essential, as I believe that distancing oneself from it can weaken the authenticity of artistic expression.

When creating a nude, portrait, or still life, I strive to faithfully represent reality, aiming for a balance between realism and individual interpretation. The closer I get to the source, the more naturally I discover my own artistic language. At this stage, intuition and imagination take over, allowing me to go beyond representation and infuse each work with personal meaning.

Another deeply fulfilling aspect of my art is textile creation. This process involves sketching from nature, selecting fine materials such as silk and taffeta, and carefully sewing each piece. The tactile qualities of fabric allow me to explore texture, movement, and depth in ways that extend beyond traditional painting and drawing. Inspiration often comes from my surroundings—gardens, botanical exhibitions, or even a quiet meadow near my studio in Poland.

Additionally, I merge drawing with textile elements, creating unique mixed-media artworks. This fusion of techniques allows me to push artistic boundaries, blending the precision of line with the texture and depth of fabric. Each piece becomes a harmonious dialogue between traditional and contemporary media, resulting in compositions that are both structured and organic, precise yet fluid.
 
I also paint oil paintings on canvas, drawing inspiration from Florida’s lush flora. Tropical flowers, with their vibrant colors, intricate shapes, and delicate forms, provide endless sources of artistic exploration. I seek to translate these natural motifs onto canvas, capturing their essence through expressive color and dynamic composition.

Living and creating between Florida and Poland enriches my artistic journey, allowing me to draw inspiration from different landscapes, cultures, and artistic traditions. Through my work, I strive to capture the fleeting beauty of nature and the human spirit, transforming them into lasting visual expressions.