He studied sculpture at the Warsaw School of Fine Arts, as well as completing engineering studies at the Warsaw University of Technology. He continued his study of sculpture in Berlin, Florence, Leipzig and Paris, specialising in monumental sculpture. Between 1927 and 1939, the artist taught sculpture at his alma mater in Warsaw (since 1932 the Academy of Fine Arts). The artist created busts of Polish national heroes, of a monumental-realist character, among others: bust of Tadeusz Kościuszko, bust of Józef Piłsudski. His medals and posters were awarded before the war in Warsaw and Paris.

During the war, the artist was with the Polish army in Edinburgh. His works were presented by the Royal Academy of Art in Edinburgh and participated in exhibitions shown in North America. In 1941, an 'Aviator' head was created in Scotland, which is now in the collection of the Polish Veterans Association in Toronto.

In 1956, the artist emigrated to Canada and settled in Toronto. For ten years he worked as an illustrator and printmaker, over time he returned to sculpture, working mainly in wood, metal and plastic, combining the figural and abstract traditions. In 1970 Podgrabinski participated in an exhibition of Polish art at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa/Ontario. In 1974, the Sculptors Society of Canada held an exhibition featuring Podgrabinski's work. In late 1976, the artist participated in a group exhibition at the Ontario Science Centre.

At the Toronto Public Library, in February 1978, an exhibition of four Polish artists was mounted: two painters - Eugeniusz Chruścicki and Wilk Markiewicz - and two sculptors - Edward Koniuszy and Mieczysław Podgrabiński. In 1978, as part of the exhibition Polonia of Tomorrow - Polonia of Tomorrow, the artist presented his work. In Canada, the sculptor evolved towards figural-abstract forms. The Woodland forms sculpture series is a combination of human and animal forms combined into a semi-abstract.

The artist was a member of the Canadian Sculptors' Society and head of the Polish Artists' Association, founded in Toronto in 1978. Mietek Podgrabinski's works can be found at St. Clements Church - Toronto, Ontario Science Centre, Robert McLaughlin Gallery - Oshawa, among others.

Work in catalogue
Mieczyslaw "Miet" Podgrabinski, head "Aviator", Polish Veterans Association Toronto Archives and Museum