Hali Garcia’s artistic practice starts in Florida’s open grasslands where she plucks sweetgrass and palmetto fibers. The Seminole artist has built layers of callouses on her fingers — each one a testament to the hours spent sewing coils of grass into intricate baskets.

Garcia, who specializes in sweetgrass basketry , learned the tradition from older generations of women in the Seminole Tribe of Florida, who passed down their knowledge to her.

“ You went out, you collected this, 'cause this isn't something that you're able to just go grab from like Walmart. Sweetgrass basket making is a tedious art from start to finish, and you have to appreciate that this is an art form that fed you,” Garcia said.

While she’s versed in the fundamentals, Garcia is not afraid to experiment with new te

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