Born in Bielsko-Biała, 1949; studied at the Katowice Faculty of Graphic Art of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków; degree in Graphic Art under the tutelage of Prof Andrzej S. Kowalski and in Caligraphy under Prof Stanisław Kluska (1974). Multiple winner of the Grant from the Ministry of Culture and Art in 1976, 1984 and 1991; numerous awards and distinctions including the Award of the Mayor of Bielsko-Biała at the Polish National Painting Competition “Bielska Jesień” (1980), the Gold Medal (1984) and the Award of the Department of Culture and Art of the City Council of Bielsko-Biała (1985), and the Władysław Szostak Award for artistic achievements (Bielsko-Biała, 1985). The main area of Szwiertnia’s artistic activity is painting in the style of magical realism. The worlds she depicts in her paintings appear ordinary at first glance, but on closer inspection the viewer is confronted with eerie contrasts, mysterious objects and unknown forms that belong in the realm of magic. Her themes include Jorge Louis Borges’ magical animal circle and small Italian towns – the artist’s constant source of fascination.