About Karolina Merska
Karolina Merska, originally from Poland, lives and works in London. Inspired by Polish folk art, Karolina started making traditional straw & paper chandeliers called “pajaki” (pah-yonk-ee) in 2015.
Their history dates back to the mid 18th century. They were made by country women as decorations for their homes especially for Christmas, Easter, as well as for weddings and christenings. Suspended from a ceiling in a main room, amongst colourful paper cut-outs, paintings and paper flowers they became a popular decoration in polish village houses. They were a symbol of harvest and happiness in the New Year.
Pająki were not only colourful decorations. They had a symbolic meaning. People believed that rye straw, of which they were made of, had magical properties and would bring good crop, health and luck for the household.
Karolina loves sharing her knowledge and teaches pajaki workshops in her studio in East London and around the world. Her first book “Making Mobiles. Create Beautiful Polish Pajaki from Natural Materials” has been published in May 2021 in the UK.