
By Maria Storey
An exhibition opens today at the Paxton Arts Centre on Anerley Hill today featuring the works of a group of Polish women artists, all based in south London.
Polish Women Artists is a group combining different art practices but sharing the same roots and heritage. They joined forces during the pandemic, wanting to share their art with local communities, and the Paxton exhibition, which runs until the end of May, is their latest collaboration, with many of the works available for sale.
Working in paint, illustration, photography, printmaking and more.
Karolina Jonc Buczek is an illustrator and graphic designer. Her colourful and humorous work often tackles the subject of body positivity, mental health, Polish culture and pop culture. Karolina has exhibited many times at Sprout.

By Julia Chwascinska
Julia Chwascinska Inspired by Kandinsky, she says, “The viewer should be unrestrained to form a deep, personal connection with an artwork. Thus, I strive to explore various ways of making that experience more upfront.”
Magdalena del Mar’s main source of inspiration is water-based scenery, waves reflecting on deep blue seas, causing mirror-like shine effects and creating that mystical, magical atmosphere that she is so drawn to. The endless combinations of different shades and hues of blue and green makes her art relaxing, soothing and therapeutic.
Monneeshka – also known as Monika Koch is a self-taught artist who has lived in the UK for the last 17 years. She captures the female beauty with simple lines, brush strokes and block colours. Her inspirations come from Modigliani art, fashion photography and all women around her. She loves working with ink gouache, acrylics and gold leaf.

By Ania Pieniazek
Joanna Niedzielska searches for expression through painting, drawing and jewellery-making. She grew up in Poland, but has been living in south London since 2013. She studied Fine Arts Artistic Education and is a qualified art therapist. Her favourite subjects are both the London cityscape and the natural world. Her paintings have always intrigued urban architecture, trying to capture in her works the unique atmosphere of interesting city streets, squares and buildings.
Ania Pieniazek was born in Katowice and worked with the galleries in Katowice and Warsaw before moving to London in 2005. Working mainly on canvas in oil or acrylic, she plays with shapes and vivid colours trying to convey pictures formed in her imagination. Most of her works are based upon a general figurative art.
Maria Storey specialises in linocuts and draws inspiration from her love of nature and of the wildlife that inhabits urban London and the English countryside . The daughter of Polish emigre artist, Edward Kieszkiewicz, Maria’s creative development has grown within the context of Poland’s rich and unique heritage in folk art. Maria’s prints are all original limited edition, each one individually numbered and signed.
The exhibition launch is on May 6, and the exhibition runs through to May 31, the gallery open from 10am to 5pm. Visit the Paxton Arts Centre website for more information.
- If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, or want to publicise your residents’ association or business, or if you have a local event to promote, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com
Inside Croydon is a member of the Independent Community News Network
- By having a comment section, we provide all readers with an immediate “right of reply” on all our content. Details of how this works can be read by clicking here
- Inside Croydon works together with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, as well as BBC London News and ITV London
- Inside Croydon: 3.3million page views in 2021. Seen by 1.6million unique visitors in that 12-month period