Teresa Legierska

I was born in 1992 and come from Koniaków, a beautiful mountain village in southern Poland. In 2018, I graduated with honours in Painting from the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice.

Authenticity holds particular value for me, both in life and in art. This is why children appear so frequently in my paintings. They are unable to conceal their emotions; their reactions inspire trust, while their gestures and feelings are sincere. A child is closest to the truth.

The motif of the child became deeply rooted in me during my own childhood. I grew up in a large family, in a home that was always open to our neighbours’ children and the children of family friends. I was also raised alongside children with illnesses who required constant care. I believe that where we come from shapes us so profoundly that it becomes our first and most natural language of expression. My childhood formed my sensitivity and gave me a perspective from which I continue to draw today. Although my work arises from adulthood and addresses contemporary concerns, the figure of the child serves as a filter. Looking through its eyes makes it easier for me to express present emotions and experiences.

I do not seek inspiration in the dramatic events of the outside world. Instead, I observe my own feelings. I am closely attuned to my emotions, recognise my needs and then paint. I paint what comes from within me—what I know and what I feel. I would not know how to speak about something I do not understand.

For me, happiness means peace of mind, and my paintings record the never-ending journey on which I seek—and sometimes recognise—this inner peace. Rather than painting happiness itself, I depict the path that leads towards it, and that path is not always clear or bright. At times, my works may seem melancholic or even unsettling, yet they never portray direct danger, absolute sadness or bitterness. A glimmer of hope is always present—one that, I believe, can be sensed by the attentive viewer.

This inner peace depends on many needs being fulfilled. My paintings speak of a deep longing for safety and love, of human dreams, the importance of a supportive environment and friendship. They also explore gratitude for what we have and an appreciation of the time we have been given.

My paintings are highly personal, even intimate. At the same time, they become relatable and understandable to a wide audience because they address universal themes. Viewers can therefore discover something of themselves in my work.

2013–2018
Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, Faculty of Painting

2008–2012
Julian Fałat State Secondary School of Fine Arts in Bielsko-Biała

2026

• Second Prize at the 3rd Art Biennale in Tarnów
• Finalist in the Leon Wyczółkowski National Painting Competition
• Honourable Mention in the Young Art: Konstanty Węgrzyn Award competition

2025
Finalist in the 8th Piotrków Art Biennale

2023
Prizewinner at the 2nd National Painting Biennale Lublin Spring — Director’s Award of the Centre for the Meeting of Cultures

2018
Finalist in the second edition of the Wojciech Fangor National Painting Competition

2010
Grand Prix at the 18th National Open-Air Workshop for Art Schools, Jeżów

2026
Group exhibition, Koń a sprawa polska (The Horse and the Polish Question), Cliché Gallery, Warsaw

2019
Solo exhibition, Delikatność do obrony (Defending Delicacy), Beskid Museum, Wisła

2017
Solo exhibition, Delikatność do obrony (Defending Delicacy), Regional Centre for Culture, Częstochowa