Highlander Engineering and Fabrication

Michal was born in Busko-Zdroj, Poland. He arrived in the United States in 1995 at the young age of 10. His family settled in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, joining the Polish community there. Of life in Poland, Michal recalls: “You had to know how to do everything yourself.” Machines and materials were scarce, so his father, a skilled carpenter, took Michal to work with him and showed him how to fix things. Michal always knew that he wanted to work with his hands; growing up on a farm, he’d learned to use the few materials on hand to fix broken machinery. This childhood experience led him to start his own wood shop at age 19.

As he grew older, he aspired to work in a space where he could conceive and make things in a variety of innovative forms; he wanted his own space for self-expression. Inspired by his parents—their struggles, their joy, their love—Michal opened his very own metal shop in Brooklyn. This Greenpoint location was filled with people from diverse backgrounds, and trades. He was surrounded by artist, renowned sculptors, and art professors. This saturation of art culture influenced his art in metal sculpting. Michal has shown his work in many art shows throughout New York.

Today, Michal continues to draw inspiration from his upbringing, his family, and the vibrant artistic community around him, blending tradition with modernity in every piece he creates.