Members of the Handweavers Guild of Boulder are looking at their own backyards for inspiration for the new “Colorado Grasslands” gallery. The ever-present scenery is depicted by guild members through a variety of fiber arts.

The “Colorado Grasslands” gallery is on display at the NoBo Bus Stop Gallery, 4895 Broadway in Boulder, through Jan. 26. The gallery is open from noon to 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. The guild will hold an artist’s reception for the gallery from 3 to 5 p.m. Jan. 19.

The gallery has a variety of fiber art techniques on display, including knotting, weaving, felting, knitting, basketmaking, beadwork and more.

Jane McAtee, community engagement coordinator for the guild, said that the gallery has been years in the making. From working with Boulder County to go on guided hikes to hours of research and, of course, hours of creating the pieces.

While all grasslands throughout the world are worth protecting, McAtee wanted to focus on Colorado grasslands in order to stay close to home. She said that just because grasslands can be unassuming and underwhelming does not mean they do not serve an important function in Colorado and the environment.

Alan Canner has his artwork “Striked Fields,” a knotting work, on display. His work symbolizes farmland rather than grasslands. He explained he is always fascinated by the rigid straight lines of crops and how farmers tend to their land. But he also wants to point out that people need to protect their grasslands to avoid all land being cultivated.

Jeanne Abel, a guild member, knit a hat and gloves from buffalo hair. She explained that when she was in South Dakota she bought the hair from Native American Lakota drum-making store, where she then spun the yarn herself.

Canner started knotting, or macrame, in the ’70s because he said just about everyone was doing it. However as the years went by and he collected more and more knotting cord, he started to develop his skills at the technique. Since retiring, he has entered his work in multiple shows.

Denise Perreault, guild member for over 40 years and guild board secretary, said that the gallery demonstrates many views and interpretations of Colorado scenery through many different mediums.“It’s ubiquitous, it’s that patch of land on the side of the highway. So many of us were excited to render what might seem unexciting at first, in exciting ways,” Perreault said.

She said that every artist likes being given a topic, and being challenged to bring your own art style to fit the gallery. She added that following a gallery’s theme also forces the artist to educate themselves on the topic, which is a great way to keep fueling a creative’s mind.

Many pieces on display incorporate grasses and other natural materials into their work. Perreault said it is a way for artists to literally incorporate the grasslands into their art.