Holy Family

Marcin Kościelny - (1883-1971). He was born in Ostrów Tuszowski in Kolbuszów County. The father owned 4 ha of land and had to feed a large family (6 sons and 2 daughters). Young Kościelny only went to school in Toporów in one winter and did not benefit much then. He learned to read and write later on his own. IN 1904 he was appointed to the army. He served 3 years in the cavalry. IN 1908 he left for America. In Buffalo he was “making a shovel in the city,” then he worked in a wagon factory in a carpentry shop. Buffalo „robił łopatą w mieście”, potem pracował w fabryce wagonów, w stolarni. At that time he married a compatriot from a family village. tym czasie ożenił się z rodaczką ze wsi rodzinnej. In 1920 he returned to Poland, bought a farm after a German in Mikorzyn. 1920 wrócił do Polski, kupił gospodarstwo po Niemcu w Mikorzynie. He made his first sculpture in the form of a house altar in America, but for good Kościelny started to sculpt only after returning to Poland. He used only a pocket knife. His paintings served as a model. He used poplar, willow and linden trees. He carved less often in an oak tree. He painted his finished works with parochial paint, or just laid them down. A characteristic feature of Kościelny’s work was the ornament he willingly used. In People’s Poland he was invited in Polsce Ludowej zaproszony został w 1950s to participate in the regional exhibition in Leszno. His works appeared rarely at other exhibitions. Bibliography: Stanisław Błaszczyk, Sculptors of southern Wielkopolska, PSL 1958 no. 1 p. 13