Only in Jaworzynka can you come across manually caned baskets using a spruce root. Jan Zogata is an author of those objects made from a very difficult material to process. He has been making these baskets for more than 50 years.

Local highlanders developed a unique technique of caning baskets because wicker is not available in the mountains. They used spruce and beech trees which are common in the forest. Jan Zogata started to be interested in caning spruce baskets at a very young age – his father and grandfather worked on it. As he says spruce roots are very difficult to work with but very durable at the same time. The main problem connected with basket caning is not the technique but time needed to make one – as he informs with a smile on his face. He explains that you need two days to make a medium-sized basket. After finding the right branches and roots you need to soak them in water and then cut lengthwise. Only then such fibers can be used for making a basket.

He treats his work as a hobby and he is willing to teach others – he conducted workshops in the Museum on Grapa in Jaworzynka and in the Rural Commune Culture Centre in Istebna. His baskets were presented on numerous exhibitions including the Cieszyn Castle and presentation of polish and Norwegian basket caning. A few examples can be found in Norwegian museums and some French got interested in them as well.

Jan Zogata also carves in wood. His workshop is not only full of spruce baskets but also of wooden figures of different sizes and different subjects.

Pracownia Jana Zogaty
43-476 Jaworzynka 465
tel. (+48) 518 767 863