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Home / News & Publications / Michigan Catholic News / 2007 / Traditional artwork features local, Polish churches

Kristin Lukowski of The Michigan Catholic
Published November 30, 2007

Kristin Lukowski | The Michigan Catholic All szopka must include a nativity scene, as this detailed one does.

Hamtramck — Tony Wachocki had to eat a lot of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups to make his representation of St. Josephat Church.

The Friends of Polish Art's first vice-president and competition chair entered his interpretation of St. Josephat — or szopka, as it's known in Polish — as one of 16 submitted to the second annual Friends of Polish Art competition. Honoring one of Poland's Christmas traditions, the public was invited to submit their own versions of Detroit- or Krakow-area churches for judging. Wachocki, following the true Polish tradition, used his gathered candy wrappers for the exterior of his szopka.

The entries are on display through Dec. 14 at the Polish Art Center, 9539 Jos. Campau in Hamtramck.

Szopka has been a tradition in Poland for the last several hundred years, and was reestablished after the end of World War II, explained Friends of Polish Art president Carolyn Meleski. Other churches featured in this competition are St. Hyacinth and Sweetest Heart of Mary in Detroit, as well as Castle Wawel, St. Florian and St. Mary's Basilica, all in Krakow.

Most of this year's entries are covered with shiny foil paper, and have extra decorations added. All must have some sort of nativity scene, whether it is figurines the entrant already had or a scene the entrant created.

Kristin Lukowski | The Michigan Catholic Joan Bittner, co-owner of the Polish Art Center; Tony Wachocki, Friends of Polish Art’s first vice-president; and Carolyn Meleski, president of Friends of Polish Art show off some of the szopka on display at the store.

Wachocki said the project brings people together as they're working on it, whether they're a family or a group of friends. "It's a fun project to do as a group," he said.

This year, Friends of Polish Art have introduced a Viewer's Choice award, so anyone who comes to view the churches gets to vote on their favorite. The Friends of Polish Art group also gives awards based on construction materials, design, craftsmanship, use of color and attention to details, with prizes for each category.

Some entries are simple, with not much decoration beyond the shiny paper, but most are more ornate. One of the entries features a light and incorporates a music box, which plays "O Holy Night." Another entrant added hand-carved designs to the szopka's wooden base.

Joan Bittner, who's owned the Polish Art Center with her husband, Raymond, for the past 34 years, has arranged the szopka on the top shelves of one room of her store — which also has the Viewer's Choice voting box front and center. "It's fun for the customers to be involved in it — even if they didn't make them," she said of the competition.

Wachocki joked that since there were five entries last year and 16 this year, within a decade or two the Friends of Polish Art would need to rent out Cobo Hall for its display. He said the group encourages people even of non-Polish descent to come to next year's instructional workshop, and perhaps start a new family tradition.

"Give it a shot," he said.

The szopka will be on display until Dec. 14, when they're moved to the Friends of Polish Art Wigilia (Christmas Eve celebration) on Dec. 15 at the American Polish Cultural Center, 2975 East Maple at Dequindre in Troy. For more information, call (248) 625-1047.