Art can be a form of storytelling, yet sometimes the greater story to be told is of the artist, themself. As the 2025 school year begins, Harlem High School welcomes Iga Puchalska to the art program’s teaching staff. Her journey with art holds a story in its own, but after learning about her personal background, it comes together in a new light.
“I am originally from Poland, I moved to the states at the age of 16, so right before my Junior year,” Puchalska said, “and I moved to Crystal Lake, Illinois and I lived there until I went to NIU.”
During this transitional period in her life though, Puchalska did not carry her passion for art over from Poland, but rather found it soon after her move.
“When I moved here, it wasn’t really planned. Back in high school, in Poland, I was in theater, so when I moved here, all of a sudden I realized I had an accent and a theater career was probably not in my future. I found art totally by accident, in high school because of that, ” Puchalska said.
As her last few years of high school concluded, the emerging artist went to college, and earned two Master’s degrees, kick-starting her career in art. One of her most distinguished job opportunities took place during the year she spent in Utah, where her genre of art focused on animation.
“I was a traditional and experimental animator, and that’s what I taught,” Puchalska said. “I was hired at Snow College in Utah to create their experimental animation program.
Not only did she present and use her talents during her time in Utah, but she has made a great impact on the local community, as well. She co-founded a non-profit art organization in the Rockford area, alongside her husband.
“We formed New Genres Art Space, which is a non-profit, focusing on technology and new media art, especially for emerging artists and unrepresented artists,” Puchalska said.
Puchalska describes her greatest joys and accomplishments not just in what she has accomplished in her career, but within her family, as well. When asked about her greatest accomplishments, she discusses the family she has started, too.
“I have two sons and a wonderful husband, and I am so proud of all of them. They’re amazing, and it’s kind of unbelievable that I was able to help grow them to this point,” said Puchalska.
Having travelled so much, and having experienced so many different places and opportunities, a question arises of how she landed at Harlem.
“Harlem has a great reputation, and from very early on, I wanted to find a stable, family oriented place,” said Puchalska, “and it feels like family, even being here for only a month, it feels so welcoming and supportive.”
When asked about the art program and Puchalska, student Alyssa Hernandez (12) builds on the ideas of how the program is family-oriented, and how Puchalska is enhancing that aspect.
Hernandez said, “She tries to interact with each of her students and gets to know them.”
As Puchalska’s journey lands her at Harlem, with a strong community surrounding and welcoming her, her new aspirations come to light, as her time at Harlem unfolds into the ultimate painting it will become.
“I hope to be here for a very long time and I hope to be part of an amazing program that grows and is recognized in our community. I hope my students go on to do meaningful and exciting things. I hope that I can help grow a pretty substantial art community, inspiring students,” said Puchalska.
As her story is told, and her career at Harlem begins, Puchalska is already creating a legacy through her work and the students she inspires along the way. She is not only illustrating a new beginning, but the continuation of a legacy of artists, too.