Gregor Pavol

He learned the basics of creating with straw as a boy in Upper Nitra, in the region where this material was traditionally used. It was usually woven from straw, especially on the occasion of harvest celebrations and other annual holidays. He still remembers the large harvest baskets, which eventually became one of the inspirations for his work. He started developing techniques as an adult, when he liked to show his own children what can be made from straw during the holidays at harvest time. When he gradually began to listen more and more from those around him, let him present himself with this in public. And since in those days there were many kitsch decorations (e.g. made of polystyrene) in the shops, he decided to participate in the Christmas market in Prievidza in the last year of the former regime. There, he was immediately approached for cooperation by the staff of the local museum, and since then he has been creating purposefully from straw. When he started, there was no specialist literature on straw. So he drew from his own experience, a few subjects from postcards and some from other manufacturers, but there were not many of them in those days (he met the master Jozef Hupko from Serede, from whom he picked up some patterns, but not the technique, they had that in common). Active production began in 1989.