Google Doodle celebrates the 104th birthday of Thai artist Sanda Bunsidth

Google Doodle celebrates the 104th birthday of Thai artist Sanda Bunsidth on April 14, 2023. Her innovative techniques are forever intertwined with her culture as a skilled and creative weaver.

Who was Sanda Bunsidth?

On April 14th, 1919, Sanda Bunsidth was born in Ban Tha Muang, Thailand. She learned to read and write from family members despite the fact that she never received a formal education.

She began weaving at a young age under the guidance of her grandmother, a skilled craftsperson who frequently worked with dyes and antiquated herbs.

After getting married, Sanda Bunsidth developed a weaving technique called “bark cloth” to make uniforms in khaki-colored for her husband’s civil service job.

Sanda Bunsidth’s impressive work was noticed by the wives in her town, and Bunsidth offered to teach them.

She eventually set up and taught a weaving group with over 40 members that were called the “Ban Rai Phai Ngam Housewives Group.”

The group’s designs procured acclaim from the public and Sanda Bunsidth arrived at people legend status across Thailand.

She was praised for her ability to draw inspiration from her surroundings and to keep the environment at the forefront of her mind throughout the creative process.

Sanda Bunsidth trained the group to use pure herbal dyes in fabric with practically no chemical additives while as yet figuring out how to develop completely new designs.

In 1985, Sanda Bunsidth received the Outstanding Folk Artist Award, and in 1986, she was honored with the Outstanding Lanna Science and Technology Worker in the Textiles field by the Science Society of Thailand.

Generations of Thai weavers continue to be inspired by Sanda Bunsidth’s work.