The First Thread
Lara Lakshmi is a non-profit connecting contemporary artists with traditional Indian weavers to create fine art on handwoven silk saris. It was founded in the aftermath of the 2020 California wildfires.
Founder Vara Ramakrishnan's family was told to prepare for an urgent evacuation notice. As she scrambled to find treasures like wedding albums and jewelry, she found herself packing every single one of her saris because she could not bear to part with any of them. Remarkably, she left all her paintings in the studio.
When the danger passed, Vara noticed she had instinctively saved the items that carried meaning, memory, and continuity. She envisioned a world where fine art was experienced with that same visceral connection. The sari emerged as the perfect medium: a vessel for art that is continuous, tangible, and lived.
This realization led to the founding of Lara Lakshmi.
A New Foundation
The sari is a versatile, unstitched length of fabric, traditionally 18 feet long, that has been worn across the Indian subcontinent for millennia.
Despite this rich history, the sari is rarely used as a medium for modern art.
We wanted to change this by commissioning contemporary artists to work directly on handwoven silk.
By bringing artists and master weavers together, we transform this ancient garment into a canvas for new artistic voices. This process preserves traditional weaving techniques while creating unique works of fine art designed to be worn, displayed, and preserved for the future.
Weaving Together a Vision
“A world where artists lift communities, craft endures, and collectors know the stories they hold.”
We are building toward this through careful curation, fair compensation, and complete transparency.
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Shades That Shape Us
Equity
Artists and weavers are compensated as fine artists, providing stability and enabling them to become teachers and leaders in their communities.
Transparency
Every piece includes complete documentation: the artist, the weaver, the location, and the techniques used, honoring the makers and informing collectors.
Community
Sustainable income for makers supports families, inspires younger generations, and ensures craft traditions continue.
Collaboration
Partnerships are founded on mutual respect and shared success.
Join Us
We invite artists, collectors, and institutional partners to support this mission. Each work honors the tradition of the weave and the modern vision created upon it.