Kerala-based artist and sculptor John Baby turns palm leaves into toys
John Baby, a Kerala-based artist, teaches children how to craft toys from coconut palm leaves at a summer camp in Thiruvananthapuram. He aims to revive interest in traditional crafts and combat the reliance on mass-produced toys. Baby believes that engaging with these indigenous methods enhances children's creativity and dexterity.
- ▪John Baby conducts workshops where children learn to make toys from coconut palm leaves.
- ▪He emphasizes the importance of preserving traditional crafts in the face of modernity.
- ▪Baby has also started using screwpine leaves for crafting due to their durability.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Fronds of coconut palm leaves come alive at John Baby’s nimble fingers. With a twist here, a snip there and a piece of coconut rib to hold the fronds in place, the leaves turn into birds, fish, snakes, trumpets, balls and caps.At Thalir, a workshop conducted by NGO Thanal in Thiruvananthapuram, children between the ages of seven and 14 follow the pony-tailed master palm leaf artist and sculptor Baby’s instructions carefully as he shows them how to braid and fold the palm leaves and its rib to make toys and other objects.Disregarding the heat, the children enthusiastically showcase the fish, birds, spectacles, crowns and balls made by them. Seven-year-old Ardra AR proudly shows her green bird while seven-year-old Aydin Mohammed displays a fish swaying at the end of a makeshift line.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Hindu — Top.
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