Bronisław Wolanin
Meet the celebrated Polish artist known for his innovative work in ceramics and sculpture
Bronisław Wolanin
Artistic director and chief designer of the Artistic Handicraft Cooperative "Ceramika Artystyczna" in Bolesławiec in the years 1964-1980 and 1985-2012.
A short story
Bronisław Wolanin (1937-2013) was born in Bełżec. He graduated from the Secondary School of Fine Arts in Zamość, and then studied at the Faculty of Ceramics at the State Higher School of Fine Arts in Wrocław. He obtained a diploma in the professor Julia Kotarbińska's class.
Ceramic vase (1974-1985) by B. Wolanin (form) and W. Matus (decoration)Museum of Ceramics in Boleslawiec
After graduating, he came to Bolesławiec to develop his artistic passion by creating functional ceramics.
During several decades of work, Bronisław Wolanin introduced several hundred new shapes, types of forms and decorations to Bolesławiec design. In his projects
Liqueur bottles (1970s) by B. Wolanin (form)Museum of Ceramics in Boleslawiec
Artistic Handicraft Cooperative
In 1964, he started working as an artistic director at the CPLiA Artistic Handicraft Cooperative "Ceramika Artystyczna". At that time, he created a series of vessels inspired by the old products of Bolesławiec potters, with bodies decorated with ribs or appliques.
Set of dishes (1970s) by B. Wolanin (form) and A. Skowroński (glazes)Museum of Ceramics in Boleslawiec
🫖 Vessels with ribbed bodies
▪️ Form design: B. Wolanin
▪️ 1970s
▪️ Manufactory: Spółdzielnia Rękodzieła Artystycznego CPLiA „Ceramika Artystyczna”
Ceramic vases (1970s) by B. Wolanin (form) and A. Skowroński (glazes)Museum of Ceramics in Boleslawiec
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▪️ Form design: B. Wolanin
▪️ 1970s
▪️ Manufactory: Spółdzielnia Rękodzieła Artystycznego CPLiA „Ceramika Artystyczna”
Ceramic jugs (1970s) by B. Wolanin (form) and A. Skowroński (glazes)Museum of Ceramics in Boleslawiec
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▪️ Form design: B. Wolanin
▪️ 1970s
▪️ Manufactory: Spółdzielnia Rękodzieła Artystycznego CPLiA „Ceramika Artystyczna”
Decanters (1970s) by B. Wolanin (form) and A. Skowroński (glazes)Museum of Ceramics in Boleslawiec
🫖 Decanters
▪️ Form design: B. Wolanin
1970s
▪️ Manufactory: Spółdzielnia Rękodzieła Artystycznego CPLiA „Ceramika Artystyczna”
In the next decade, he created a collection of vases inspired by Scandinavian design, distinguished by simple, geometric shapes, which were covered with colored matte, glossy and crystalline glazes developed by A. Skowroński.
Ceramic vase (1970s-1980s) by B. Wolanin (form) and A. Skowroński (glaze)Museum of Ceramics in Boleslawiec
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▪️ Form design: B. Wolanin
▪️ 1970-80s
▪️ Glaze: A. Skowroński
▪️ Manufactory: Spółdzielnia Rękodzieła Artystycznego CPLiA „Ceramika Artystyczna”
Vases (1970s-1980s) by B. Wolanin (form) and A. Skowroński (glaze)Museum of Ceramics in Boleslawiec
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▪️ Form design: B. Wolanin | 1970-80s
▪️ Glaze: A. Skowroński
▪️ Manufactory: Spółdzielnia Rękodzieła Artystycznego CPLiA „Ceramika Artystyczna”
Ceramic vase (1970s-1980s) by B. Wolanin (form) and A. Skowroński (glaze)Museum of Ceramics in Boleslawiec
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▪️ Form design: B. Wolanin | 1970-80s
▪️ Glaze: A. Skowroński
▪️ Manufactory: Spółdzielnia Rękodzieła Artystycznego CPLiA „Ceramika Artystyczna”
Inspired by Bronisław Wolanin, craquelé glazes in pastel colours were introduced into production.
Ceramic vases (1970s-1980s) by B. Wolanin (form) and A. Skowroński (glaze)Museum of Ceramics in Boleslawiec
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▪️ Form design: B. Wolanin
▪️ 1970-80s
▪️ Glaze: A. Skowroński
▪️ Manufactory: Spółdzielnia Rękodzieła Artystycznego CPLiA „Ceramika Artystyczna”
Ceramic vase (1970s-1980s) by B. Wolanin (form) and A. Skowroński (glaze)Museum of Ceramics in Boleslawiec
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▪️ Form design: B. Wolanin | 1970-80s
▪️ Glaze: A. Skowroński
▪️ Manufactory: Spółdzielnia Rękodzieła Artystycznego CPLiA „Ceramika Artystyczna”
Ceramic vases (1970s-1980s) by B. Wolanin (form) and A. Skowroński (glaze)Museum of Ceramics in Boleslawiec
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▪️ Form design: B. Wolanin | 1970-80s
▪️ Glaze: A. Skowroński
▪️ Manufactory: Spółdzielnia Rękodzieła Artystycznego CPLiA „Ceramika Artystyczna”
In the mid-1970s, at Wolanin's initiative, the pre-war technique of stamped decoration was revived. The artist preferred the "fish scale" motif and delicate, spot stamps covering the entire surface of the vessel as well as sparing colors based on cobalt and bronze.
In 1980 he became the artistic director at Zakłady Ceramiczne "BOLESŁAWIEC" with the task of developing and implementing a new assortment for production. For this company, he created a series of vases and pot covers inspired by flower cups. By juxtaposing various schools and traditions, he showed high attention to the careful choice of proportions in each designed form.
In 1985 he returned to "Ceramika Artystyczna", where he worked until 2012.
Set of bowls (2002-2003) by B. Wolanin (form)Museum of Ceramics in Boleslawiec
🫖 Set of bowls
▪️ Form design: B. Wolanin | 2002-2003
▪️ Decoration: J. Chyła
▪️ Manufactory: "Ceramika Artystyczna" Spółdzielnia Rękodzieła Artystycznego
Set of canisters (2002-2003) by B. Wolanin (form)Museum of Ceramics in Boleslawiec
🫖 Set of canisters
▪️ Form design: B. Wolanin
▪️ Manufactory: "Ceramika Artystyczna" Spółdzielnia Rękodzieła Artystycznego
Pieces of the Pope's set (1997) by B. Wolanin (form)Museum of Ceramics in Boleslawiec
🫖 Pope's set
A set on which pope John Paul II was served a meal on board the plane, returning to Rome from his pilgrimage to Poland in 1997.
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▪️ Form design: B. Wolanin | 1997
▪️ Decoration: A. Pasierbiewicz
▪️ Manufactory: "Ceramika Artystyczna" Spółdzielnia Rękodzieła Artystycznego
He also worked as a sculptor, graphic artist and drawer
Since the end of the 1970s, he created ceramic pictures - porcelain and stoneware tiles made of intricately glued small petals in subtle shades of brown, black and blue. These intimate compositions are a synthetic record of images of nature and states of mind.
