August 08, 2025

5 Fiber Artists Working with Natural Materials: From Banana Leaves to Bamboo

VAWAA master artist Sonia foraging for wild esparto in the Andalusian fields.

In the Canary Islands, VAWAA artist Pilar coaxes shimmering threads from banana leaves that would otherwise be discarded. In Andalusia, Sonia gathers wild grass under the sun and twists it into objects as durable as they are beautiful. In South Carolina, Nancy turns invasive pine needles into baskets that carry Cherokee stories.

Across the world, VAWAA master artists are breathing new life into the most unexpected materials — banana fiber, esparto grass, pine needles, plant-based yarns, reeds, bamboo. And they’re inviting you to join them.

These are not just crafts; they are deeply rooted traditions that connect art to land, culture, and rhythm of place. Each artist will welcome you into their world to see, touch, and transform these remarkable materials with your own hands.

The Artists & Their Fibers

1. Banana Fiber with Pilar — Canary Islands

VAWAA master artist and basketweaver Pilar uses her work for a sustainable message. A researched practitioner, she understands the versatility of the banana plant and its fibers. In the Canary Islands, an abundance of banana plantations thrive. But most of the plant is left unused — until Pilar steps in. She collects the flag leaf, a coarse, rope-like fiber that’s lightweight, then knits, crochets, embroiders, and weaves it into sculptural works using needlework.

The banana plant is a source of inspiration and there are countless ways to learn from experimenting. In her studio, you might learn techniques to craft an intricate lacework bowl or a coiled sculptural form, discovering the fiber’s elasticity and natural sheen. Mornings are spent learning Pilar’s delicate techniques; afternoons might take you to banana groves that have fed generations.

Pilar delicately knitting banana fiber.

2. Esparto Grass with Sonia — Andalusia

High in the hills of Andalusia, Sonia works with esparto — a hardy, aromatic grass that has shaped life here for centuries. It is typically long and slender with a greyish green hue and forms dense brambles that reach great heights. In rural communities, this material is woven for everyday items like mats, ropes and braided strips that become other functional objects.

She learned from one of the last traditional esparto masters in her village, carrying forward a craft that connects deeply to place. She says, “Working with nature is a fundamental part of my work, in fact it is nature that sets the pace for me to be able to work.”

Esparto grass resists at first — stiff, wiry — but with her, you’ll gather grass from the wild, learn to coax it into form, and feel the meditative rhythm of weaving something both functional and timeless.

Sonia's work blurs the lines between function and sculpture.

3. Pine Needle Basketry with Nancy — South Carolina

In the foothills of South Carolina, basketmaker Nancy gathers Kudzu (longleaf pine needles), an invasive weed that damages neighboring plants. But once soaked, these slender, forest-scented needles become a glossy brown with a wax-like coating pliable enough to coil into baskets and sculptures.

Nancy weaves this flexible-when-wet and brittle-once-dry weed into coiled baskets of all shapes and sizes, from household trinkets to eight-foot sculptures. Her goal is to bring Cherokee stories to life though sharing this basket making tradition that is integral to Cherokee culture. In Nancy’s studio, you’ll learn how to prepare, coil, and shape the needles into your own work of art, connecting to a craft passed down for generations.

Nancy weaving a basket with Long Leaf Pine needles.

4. Wool, Cottons and Silk with Marco Antonio — Colombia

VAWAA master artist Marco Antonio works with local, natural materials found in Colombia like sheep wool, natural silk, cotton, and banana fiber. Sheep wool is warm to the touch, springy and carries a soft scent. It contrasts the cool natural silks that are more fluid against the skin, effortlessly catching light. Cotton is smooth to the touch and delicate on the skin and banana fiber is firm, with a rustling sound and vegetal scent. He sources these fibers to connect to the heritage of Andean communities, where loom weaving with natural threads was shared between communities.

In his studio, you can work on an upright or flat loom, blending fibers into gradient patterns, combining natural and industrial threads for durability and texture.

Marco Antonio reviewing his woven pieces made with plant-based materials found in Colombia.

5. Willow, Reeds and Bamboo with Karelle — French Countryside

Once a chemical engineer, Karelle now weaves willow, reeds, bark, and bamboo into geometric, sculptural forms. She works with special techniques like zarzo, hoop basketry, lacework, woven panel basketry, and incorporates precise Japanese bamboo weaving methods into her pieces.

Sourcing her materials locally, Karelle embraces materials that respond to touch, moisture, and temperature. In her studio, you might weave a basket designed to last a lifetime, or experiment with bamboo’s flexibility to create a striking sculptural piece.

Karelle making baskets in her studio.

Why This Matters

Natural fibers carry the stories of the landscapes they come from. These artists work in harmony with their environment, keeping alive techniques that have been passed down for generations. When you learn with them, you step into that story — creating something that couldn’t exist without your hands, your time, and your connection to place.

It’s a chance to slow down and reconnect with natural rhythms, work mindfully with your hands, and explore the intimate relationship between material, maker, and land.

Choose your fiber. Choose your place.

Learn to create something extraordinary.

You can browse all fiber and basketry VAWAA’s here.