Grass Art II

At first I was not really sure what kind of grass was used creating these dolls. Somehow it looked like raffia to me, but it turned out to be sikki grass which grows in abundance in India and is used for all kinds of crafts and arts.

The dolls are pretty stunning. Just take a closer look at all those details; they even have noses!

From what I could find on this art is that it apparently is a very old form of weaving and practiced for ages. Dried grasses were dyed before intertwining them in intricate patterns like this bowl/basket.

Another type of grass used for weaving gorgeous baskets and other items is rye grass. This grows in abundance on the beaches of Kodiak Island.

What intrigued me most was how all those strands of grass were held together. From what I learned was that they are either sewn together with thread, or with another strand of grass. The last gives the end product an even more artistic look.

I had not expected that such beautiful works of art could and would be created with something as simple as grass. I suppose in this case it is not so bad to let the grass grow under your feet, huh? :-)