The creation of straw items became a part of his life as a boy in the upper Nitra region, where straw was traditionally used. Straw weaving was commonly practiced, especially during harvest festivals and other anniversaries. He still remembers the large harvest baskets that eventually became one of his inspirations for creation. As an adult, he further developed his techniques by demonstrating to his own children during summer holidays what could be made from straw. Gradually, he began to listen to the people around him more and started presenting his work publicly. In those times, many shops offered gaudy decorations (e.g. made of polystyrene), which motivated him to participate in the Christmas market in Prievidza during the last year of the former regime. There, museum workers approached him for collaboration, and since then, he has intentionally created art from straw. He started crafting in 1989.

As a boy, he began with the coiled technique (spiral weaving) observed from the traditional environment. He learned other techniques he now masters through self-study. He utilizes weaving techniques with straw (in addition to spiral weaving, he also practices flat straw weaving, traditional Orava technique, and strew weaving) and its ironing (baskets with textile or natural material applications, flat Christmas ornaments, various types of Christmas chains), as well as the combination of woven and ironed straw. Apart from straw decorations, he creates larger decorations for various anniversary occasions (such as Christmas, Easter, harvest festivals), as well as straw-covered or woven Easter eggs, which are his original technique. He prefers to use naturally colored straw, even though as a trained chemist who worked in this area all his life, he could easily dye the straw. Just as with techniques used, he respects traditional practices in coloring as well.

He keeps a systematic sample book with over two hundred patterns. As he says, straw is like a drug to him. He doesn’t need to create, but he enjoys doing it very much. He loves the time of harvest and ripening grain. Despite living his whole life in an apartment building, he was born and raised in a city. He finds gathering straw particularly demanding, especially carefully cutting each stem. He mainly works with rye straw, our traditional material in this production area, but lately has been finding quality wheat as well. He prefers to collect the material a few weeks before harvest when the stems are not yet affected by mold, which subsequently facilitates the processing. This way, he doesn’t need to treat the straw with sulfur or other anti-mold methods (bleaching in lime, saline water, or modern detergents).

He participates in exhibitions, production demonstrations, and professional events both locally (in his place of residence and a few times a year at major craft fairs) and internationally (Czech Republic, Italy, Switzerland, France), where he enjoys gaining different perspectives on artistry. His collection of products is also featured in the collections of the Ethnographic Museum in Paris. Other traditional crafts attract him (basketry, wirework, shingle making), but he decided to focus solely on straw artistry but in a serious manner. As he says, one lifetime is too short to accomplish everything. He gladly passes on his knowledge through craft courses at the Craftsmen’s Atelier of Folk Art Production focused on making straw Christmas ornaments. He also conducts courses for schools and other institutions. His oldest daughter, who has mastered the mentioned techniques, could follow in his footsteps, although for now, she uses paper instead of straw in her creations.

In addition to creating straw ornaments, he sporadically engages in making straw-covered Easter eggs.