Lydia Odindo: Passionate artist turning grass blades into bold statements

Just as Shakespeare once said, “The earth has music for those who listen.” Lydia Odindo has found a melody in the most unexpected place — grass.

If you're not a keen art lover, you'd easily miss this and pass it on as toothpicks.

But it's deeper than that for her, as a lover of nature, she skilfully slices each blade of grass which will eventually form a silhouette piece.

“I love nature and it’s my small way of contributing to the climate crisis,” she says. “Grass is non-pollutant, doesn’t harm the ecosystem, and for me, it’s a material that connects art and sustainability.”

Lydia’s art journey started in childhood, sketching in primary school alongside friends, and sneaking doodles behind textbooks in high school where art wasn’t part of the curriculum.

She hoped for a creative revival in university but was disappointed when her Fashion Design and Textile Technology course leaned more on mathematics than creativity.

Still, she completed her degree, but the thought of pursuing fashion design left her uninspired.

It was only after graduation in 2019 that she turned fully to visual art — learning, experimenting, and eventually discovering a mentor, Dan, who introduced her to the medium that would become her signature.

“I started painting, then Dan came along and taught me everything, from techniques to materials, including how to make art with grass and even finding markets,” she recalls.

Since then, Lydia has diversified from Maasai beadwork to weaving, upcycled buttons and vitenges, and even dabbling in web design.

“Back in Nairobi, I found the perfect type of grass at Uhuru Gardens before construction began. Later, I sourced from Thika, now in Nakuru I request grass from farms,” she explains. “It’s tedious — drying, slicing, preparing each blade — and I often cut myself. But the final piece is worth it.”

Her artwork, often inspired by global events can take up to a month to complete.

Her prices range from Sh. 150 to Sh. 30,000, with over 300 pieces created since she started. The grass ones never go for anything else Sh. 7,000.

Like many small businesses, COVID hit hard. After a brief stint in formal employment, which she left after just seven months, Lydia turned to selling art supplies as a way back into the creative space. It hasn’t been easy.

“Being a woman in the art industry is a blessing and a challenge,” she says. “We’re few, often underestimated, and have to work twice as hard for recognition. And still, there’s the belief that women only do art as a hobby.”

Despite the odds and injuries from sharp grass blades she pushes on.

“This generation is bold. Don’t let anyone box your creativity. Art isn’t just canvases and oil paints. It’s grass, it’s thread, it’s whatever your voice can use to speak,” she says.

In future, Lydia hopes to fully venture into 2D and 3D art as well as collaborate with friends to combine art and fashion.