May is a time to remember the Virgin Mary, and what better place to find Marian-themed works of art than in Poland, where devotion to the Mother of Christ is especially fervent. For the next three weeks, I will be featuring new works by Polish artists in the Sacred Art Pilgrim Collection depicting the Virgin Mary in a variety of styles and mediums. My first offering comes from Marianna Wisnios, a self-taught artist who came to public notice, when a school teacher suspected the drawings the son of Wisnios brought to class were actually the work of his mother! Wisnios was little phased by the renown that followed, creating sketches and paintings as part of her daily devotions. Mary may be the object of angelic adoration in this mixed media drawing, bringing to mind Annunciation scenes, but Wisnios has depicted her as a very human and accessible figure who seems surprised by all the heavenly attention. This new Polish folk art piece can be found on the Wisnios biosketch page in the Sacred Artists section. Poland has opened its doors to millions of refugees from neighboring Ukraine. Pray for Peace! (John Kohan)