from Koniaków, born in 1931 – d. 2006

The creator of intricate, captivating beauty and world famous lace. She belonged to the group of the most outstanding (most valued and known) master of the "heklowanie" (lace making). She was born on April 6, 1931 in Koniaków, and died there in January 2007. She started to perform the first lace as a girl, imitating her mother's work. After the war, she became the youngest student of the famous lace-maker Maria Gwarek from Koniaków.

The product range of Helena Kamieniarz was almost unlimited: traditional coats, inserts, napkins (large and small, round, oval or rectangular), tablecloths, blouses, dresses, skirts, gloves, collars and many more. The diligence of the workmanship, the originality of the composition and the richness of motifs, inspired most often by nature were characteristic for her lace. Koniaków master not only used old, traditional designs, but she was also able to create her own (both motifs and compositions), though embedded in tradition. She could cut out all the work with a continuous thread, without interrupting it – which was a rare skill conditioned by technical perfection.

Helena Kamieniarz cooperated with Cepelia. She belonged to the Folk Artists' Association. She willingly gave her skills to younger lace makers. She also led classes in educational programs related to the protection, cultivation and popularization of folk traditions or disappearing professions, and addressed to children and youth, as well as teachers and instructors. She was also a well-known social activist.

Since 1985, a gallery was open in her home, where you can see the effects of the creative activity of several generations of the family (grandma's and mother's lace, daughter-in-law, granddaughters, as well as sculptures and masks made by her husband, brother, sons and father). Tours from all over the world visited her. Today it is the Chamber of Creativity of the Kamieniarz–Kubaszczyk Family.

Helena Kamieniarz has been awarded many times in regional, nationwide and international competitions. Her works have been exhibited in Poland, Austria, Czechoslovakia and Russia. With her lace she was in the Netherlands, in Italy and at folk art presentations in France, Hungary and Germany. She also participated in fairs of folk art and folklore events.

For her creative work she received the Golden Cross of Merit (1988, 1998), the Badges of Merit for Culture (1988) and Merit for the Bielsko Province (1997) and posthumously awarded the Gloria Artis Gold Medal. It was also honored with the following prizes: the Minister of Culture and Art (1983), the voivodship (1987), Jan Pocek (1989), Oskar Kolberg Award (1993), Minister of Culture and Art (1996). She had state decorations, including the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.

Her lace can be found in many museums and national collections (in Bielsko-Biała, Cieszyn, Wisła, Żywiec, Opole, Szczecin, Przemyśl, Sopot) and foreign (in Germany, England, Austria, Finland, Russia, Australia and the USA). They also decorate the interiors of many personalities around the world. A special napkin with a diameter of 2.20 m was made together with other Koniaków lace makers as a gift for the Holy Father John Paul II. And the black shawl, which was the work of her hands, belonged to the favorite wardrobe items of the Dutch Queen Beatrice.