From Granite to Gneiss

Sadie Bills

These works are representations of my ongoing interest in the Anthropocene: that human impact on the earth is now detectable at a geological scale. Mixing meanings with materials has been a recent focus in my work, and I see the parallel histories of craft and environmental degradation as poetic sites to consider the meaning of our transforming geology. What would it take in our fast-paced world to see rocks as changing and malleable? Could an awareness be fostered in the literal experience of carrying the weight of a rock in one’s pocket? Or by encountering geology in unfamiliar situations? Textiles, by nature, are pliable, moldable, and responsive to touch. Their traditions tell stories about how humans have survived off of, with, and in spite of the land. My research into these themes has involved writing, reading, photographing, walking, observing, laser-cutting, weaving, and sewing. I see these works as tests for larger pieces to come, involving clothing and full-size quilts.