An Interview with Barbara Porczynska: Visual Artist & Winner of Members Choice Award 2024 of the VAA’s Artist of the Year Awards
Barbara Porczynska – Artist Feature – VAA Member of the Month May 2025
Barbara Porczynska always knew she wanted to be an Artist. A painter, writer and a mother, Barbara creates oil paintings, paints objects on household appliances and creates videos co-authored by her children.
She studied Polish Philology and Fine Arts, where twice during her studies was awarded the Scholarship of the Polish Minister of Science, gaining a Ph.D from the University of Poland in 2024. Now working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Painting at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Rzeszow, Poland, Barbara draws, writes and plays violin in the Łańcut Song and Dance Ensemble.
Barbara’s time is full as she is a writer too, author of the artwork Za-piski MaMalarki”(“ Mamartist Shrill-bbles), she has created the idea of a “MamArtist” – a mother who struggles between art and everyday life. A movie was made based on her book and art.
For more about Barbara head to: barbaraporczynska.wordpress.com or follow her Instagram: barbara_porczynska_art
For Barbara, the days feel too short, with many things to do on her mind and not enough time. A mother first, she wakes up and takes the kids to school and if she is not at teaching at the University, her decisions are whether to paint, read, write, practice the violin or piano or just clean the house first. After the creativity in the day, she picks her kids up whilst her husband cooks dinner.
Her paintings often reflect motherhood. A professionally fulfilled mother will always feel guilty, either that she doesn’t spend enough time with her children or that she doesn’t work enough. Much of her work analyses the art environment but reflects on her own experiences as a mother and an artist and capturing the in-between where she is engaged in creative activities, but grounded by actual events.
“Motherhood changes the life of the woman, but it does not mean the necessity of locking her in the house and giving up her professional life. The Artist, becoming a mother, does not need to quit her creative work. Motherhood can inspire the work of the mother-artist.”
For me, everything is art. I am inspired by everyday life. I love painting the most, but I paint not only on canvas in a classical style, I also paint on objects and create art installations. I always have a notebook with me to write down my thoughts.
When I paint, I use things from the world of motherhood. Clothes and cloth nappies, on which I wipe my brushes. Even this, gives me inspiration, such as for my piece ‘The Epiphragm – this is a big curtain sewn togerther with cloth nappies – 1 never used and pure white, 1 with traces of use, and 1 used to wipe her brushes on. The curtain seperates but also connect the sphere of the woman-artist with the sphere of the woman-mother.
What is your creative process, from the first spark of inspiration to the finished product?
What accomplishments are you most proud of and why?
I am so proud of my Ph.D. and my awards in Barcelona or London as well as showing my paintings and important exhibitions. I have participated in national and international exhibitions and won several art prizes, including Premio Material Artístico „ESCODA” ˗ FIGURATIVAS 2023 Barcelona or London Art Biennale 2021 ˗ Art Museum of Chianciano Terme Award and City of Art Award or the winner of The Members Choice Awards, Artist of the Year Awards 2024 – Visual Artist Association.
However I always dreamed of publishing a book, so my book “Za-piski MaMalarki”(“ Mamartist Shrill-bbles”) is very important to me and was published by the University of Rzeszów Publishing House in 2022.
Work on the book took three years and unlike other artistic forms such as painting or films, writing gave me the opportunity to approach the analysis of a given issue differently. It was made entirely by me, from the graphic layout, cover design and final actions on the finished print. A large role in the creation of the book was by my children whose drawings or lively dialogues contributed to the final product.
“It is kind of a diary, showing both beautiful moments and uncomfortable and often shameful issues related to motherhood.”
The edition sold out very quickly and was happy to receive messages from readers who felt as though I was writing about them.
I want to be a good mother, wife and housewife, have a beautiful home, well-kept garden, polite children and every day have a beautiful smile on my face, and make great art but that is not realistic. It is hard to find the balance.
However, something that theoretically should be an obstacle for me, has triggered creativity in me. I have begun to create like never before. My now 9-year old son, once told me that if it weren’t for him, MaMartist wouldnt exist and he is right. I am very determined and I know what I want. The family, my children are very important to me, but my art is important too. I don’t want to give upanything. Sometimes it is hard, but it not impossible. I am a MomArtist and I try to show it is possible.
What are the challenges in your artistic career?
What is your biggest piece of advice?
My mum told me to never give up, after I succeed then I think about the next step. My mother always believed in me and in her opinion if I needed to make art I needed to keep calm and do my thing. The second person who always believed in me is my husband who is my best friend.
A breakthrough moment in my career was meeting my PhD supervisor, Professor Jadwiga Sawicka, she is a great artist and wonderful person. She has given me the bravery to create and has awoken something that dormant in me.
I was very happy when I found out that I won the Member Choice Award from the VAA;s International Competition Artist of the Year in 2024. I don’t always believe things the first time I read them, so I re-read and re-read it until it sank in.
How did you feel when you won the Member’s Choice Award from the VAA?
