While some artists use paint strokes to fill their canvases, Mexican artist Edgar Zepeda Diaz uses an unconventional medium—straw. Carefully arranging colored strands of naturally dyed broom grass, he creates remarkably detailed portraits of animals and people that closely resemble traditional paintings.
Diaz starts with a long strand of broom grass, snapping off smaller pieces with his fingers and carefully placing them onto his sticky, beeswax-covered canvas. Using this method over and over with a variety of colored straw, he builds each piece like a mosaic. Every tiny fragment acts as a pixel or brushstroke to form a cohesive image. To achieve his vibrant colors, he uses broom grass naturally dyed with insects, plant extracts, fruits, and vegetables.
From fierce tigers and majestic lions to iconic figures like Frida Kahlo, every piece of straw art is packed with detail. His animal portraits are especially lifelike—he arranges each strand so perfectly that the fur looks real enough to touch.
Diaz now makes custom artwork for people all over the world, and he even has his own gallery, aptly called Straw Art Gallery. His unconventional art form has taken many years to master; but for him, it’s a labor of love. He writes in an Instagram caption, “[It’s a] long process but in the end it's worth it.”
Check out some of the Diaz's stunning straw art below, and don’t miss the videos at the end to see his creative process in action. For even more from the artist, follow Edgar Zepeda Diaz on Instagram.
Artist Edgar Zepeda Diaz uses naturally dyed broom grass to create remarkably detailed portraits of animals and people.
He creates each piece like a mosaic, using tiny fragments of straw which act as individual pixels or brushstrokes.
To achieve his vibrant colors, he uses broom grass that is naturally dyed with insects, plant extracts, fruits, and vegetables.
Watch how Diaz meticulously places each piece of straw onto his sticky, beeswax-covered canvas.
Watch on TikTok
Watch on TikTok
Watch on TikTok
Edgar Zepeda Diaz: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Edgar Zepeda Diaz.
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