Knowledge of the free nature of the art profession is crucial – interview with Ewa Pańczyk-Hałubiec

by Foundation ARTeria

You prepare the students of school of arts in Gliwice for a further education. In your opinion, which competences are the most crucial for young artists that are graduating secondary art school, and therefore vocational school?

I’ve been working at school since 2006 and from the very beginning I’ve already known that the knowledge of the free nature of the profession is crucial in making a good start and gaining of knowledge easier. That’s why I’m trying to share with my professional experience in order to introduce young people to the shape of the artist’s profession. I’m teaching them how to create and organise an exhibition, showing life’s examples, giving practical advices.

To my mind, the most important thing is for every student to be able to talk about their own works: to use a proper, professional language. The students are forming it not only as part of their specialization, but also during all their art subjects: art history, sculpturing and other project subjects.

All students are very sensitive. However, not all of them can speak fluently and with courage about what they do and this is very important in practice.

And are soft skills such as teamwork and communication also fostered at school?

Each class makes a cohesive team and surely working together is very important here. Those skills are honed ‘by the way’ of joint activities on various projects or tasks, which means during practice.

And are soft skills such as teamwork and communication also fostered at school?

Each class makes a cohesive team and surely working together is very important here. Those skills are honed ‘by the way’ of joint activities on various projects or tasks, which means during practice.

Does the school provide these competences in any way?

Yes, I’m very happy about our new project ‘Competent students at High School of Fine Arts and General School of Fine Arts’ connected with practice, in which our school takes part in, and which supplements general education in a very attractive way. Thanks to those practice the student finds out what is he good at and his good qualities while being able to hone the bad ones.

Thank you very much for the conversation!

Ewa Pańczyk-Hałubiec – born 07.06.1973 in Zabrze, living in Gliwice since her birth. Defended her painting diploma in 2000, at prof. Andrzej Klimczak-Dobrzaniecki’s lab at ASP in Wrocław. She finished her postgraduate studies of Art Education at Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow in 2007 and pedagogical course at Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław in 2008. Member of Polish Association of Artists and Designers in the Gliwice-Zabrze District. Pańczyk-Hałubiec is an appointed teacher of painting techniques, as well as drawing and painting at High School of Fine Arts and General School of Fine Arts in Gliwice (Barlickiego 3, Gliwice). She actively participates in many open-air workshops in Poland and abroad, for example in MADOA project (Multicultural Art & Design Open Air). She is an author of individual and group painting exhibitions. She conducts art workshops for children and youths at the Secondary School of Fine Arts.

Photos by Michalina Kuczyńska