BODY OF WORK: WATER'S SONG, WEAVING EARTH

This naturally dyed, handwoven body of work features the vision and handwork of artist and craftswoman Melody Joy Overstreet. Both subtle and refined, this series describes the way water motions through our world, and acts as a force that reveals our profound interconnectivity with one another and all of life.

Weaving is an ancient medium that also speaks to themes of interconnectivity. In many myths and stories across cultures, the world is referred to as a cloth. When the world is in a state of disharmony and chaos, as we see and experience today, it is seen and referred to as tattered, or described as a cloth which has lost its integrity. The work of the weaver is to pick up the threads and begin to weave the world back together again. In a time of senseless destruction of our life-giving waterways, and increasing flood and drought, Melody envision a future of balance where we collectively remember the sacredness of life and honor our humble place in the more-than-human world.

This artwork is handmade with earth-based materials inclusive of natural unbleached linen, and finely spun organic heirloom cotton that the artist hand-dyed in a fermented indigo vat that she seasonally tends. The work is woven utilizing a special inlay technique, chosen for the way this approach allows the artist to paint expressive gestures with thread.

This body of work took over 7 years to develop from concept to technical mastery— from research into the realm of textile arts to an apprenticeship with a local master weaver, practice in the realm of natural dyeing and design, to the orchestration and hand-weaving of each piece.