Meet the Artist
My name is Kasia Polkowska. I am a multidisciplinary artist. My current location is Pagosa Springs, a small mountain town nestled in the San Juan Mountains. I live in this beautiful part of Sounthern Colorado with my life and creative partner Kyle and our two young sons, Ethan and Wesley.
Everyday I am inspired by panoramic mountain views and the surrounding nature. Each season is breathtaking here. Every day is magical and each night offers a beautifully dark sky sprinkled with more stars than you can see in most places. Spring into Summer is abundant in wild flowers and vivid colors that transition to a golden Autumn that culminates in a Winter wonderland that nourishes the landscape for a long awaited, colorful Spring. The cycle of the 4 seasons here provides more inspiration than I can dream of ever using.
Biography
I was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1983. When I was 9, my mom, 2 sisters and I emigrated to the United States. I grew up in Northern New Jersey where I completed primary school and graduated High School. In 2002, I moved to Brooklyn, New York to study Art at Pratt Institute. Additionally I studied abroad at Southern Cross University in Lismore, Australia which I chose specifically for the opportunity to connect more closely to nature. In 2006, I graduated from Pratt with a BFA. For the next 4 years, I enjoyed the city life, living in Park Slope in Brooklyn where I continued my exploration in art.
In 2010, I moved up to Northern Vermont in search of a closer connection to nature. In 2011, I moved to Chicago to experience living in another big city. Then in 2012, took the leap and moved to Boulder, Colorado and have been enjoying life in the Rocky Mountains ever since. In 2015 I had an adventurous year of living and traveling cross country in a converted cargo van. Finally at the end of 2015, I moved the Santa Fe Arts District in Denver but city life no longer had the same appeal as it did a decade ago. Soon enough I moved South to a rural part of the state. During my 4 years in Alamosa, I gave birth to my two sons, Ethan and Wesley. Finally in 2020, my 2 boys and Kyle, moved 2 hours West to Pagosa Springs where I am currently continuing my journey as an artist and a nature enthusiast.
Exploring Different Mediums
I always enjoyed drawing and painting and finally got to explore other mediums while studying Art in New York. Post graduation I discovered glass mosaics which became my primary focus from 2007 till 2019. In addition to my 2d mosaics, in 2017 I began creating mosaic sculptures. Around this time, my interests began to shift and to expand. Soon I started creating handmade ceramics to add to my mosaic work. Then in 2018 I painted for the first time after a 12 year break, but rather than oil, I tried acrylic paint this time. At the very end of 2020 I shifted my focus to painting as my primary discipline with enough time to create mosaic sculptures a few times a year.
Gallery Exhibits
Between 2005 and 2013 I participated in various gallery shows (group and solo) in New York, Chicago, Vermont, Colorado, Poland and Australia – places such as galleries, museums, event centers, restaurants and coffee shops. Most of the work that I’ve created since graduating from University has sold and is in private collection across the US, Canada, Poland and the UK.
Teaching Art
From 2014 till 2017, I taught in-person mosaic courses all across the United States. I also used my strong online presence and social media to develop the Kasia Mosaics Online Mosaic Classes. Hundreds of students from all over the world have signed up to learn my unique approach to mosaics.
Outdoor Sculpture and Public Art
In 2017, I began to participate in Outdoor Public Sculpture Exhibits throughout Colorado. My Public Work has won various Awards and has been purchased for private collections. I have also designed and led a community mural in Alamosa, CO. During this time, I also served as an Arts Council member in town.
Other Professional Involvements
I’ve given in person lectures on the art of mosaics. I also enjoyed being interviewed for online publications of the Cottage Journal, Martha Stewart, Mountain Living, Westward among others. My art work has been featured in a variety of online platforms over the years. I have led successful 2 Crowdfunding Campains via Indiegogo, both were to help fund mosaic art projects – the Kasia Mosaics US Tour and a Community Mosaic Mural Project.
Creating the Mystic Valley Sculpture Park
In 2018, I began a collaborative Art Project with my life and creative partner Kyle Cunniff. We purchased 40 acres of land in Mosca, Colorado and slowly began creating the Mystic Valley Sculpture Park near the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Mosca, Colorado.
Back to Painting – A New Beginning
After having my second son, I began to re-evaluate my creative endeavors. I knew that continuing to create large scale 2d mosaic landscapes was too demanding as far as time went. A typical landscape would take me between 40 to 160 hours. But I still wanted to keep exploring the mountains in my artwork. The opportunity to revisit my first love in art presented itself. I began to paint and to ask myself why I ever stopped and what took me so long to find my way back. I am filled with inspiration and am loving the discovery process that comes with each new work.