Seen and Heard : Onna Schwindt : Earth Unbalanced

16" x 12"

Artist Statement:

“Earth Unbalanced” portrays aspects of the planetary health crisis we are currently facing. Our home is presently transforming, aging, and decaying at an unprecedented rate.  During these turbulent times we face environmental challenges like climate change, fossil fuel addiction, melting glaciers, overconsumption, habitat loss, toxic pollution, deforestation, desertification, biodiversity loss, water scarcity…the list goes on. Even during my short lifetime,

I’ve seen these problems rapidly worsen.  

Although my mandala-like pieces are usually more brightly colored and joyous, I was compelled to create this one that focuses on a few side effects of our planet’s decline. It shows the earth melting away, trees dying, flowers wilting, birds flying in erratic patterns, and fish swimming upside down.  I created this piece with a technique known as needle felting.  A barbed needle is used to attach wool fibers to felt by hand stabbing it over and over. I then stitched on top of it with cotton threads, ribbons, metal embellishments, and beads.

I hope this piece sparks others to consider these ecological traumas our world is currently dealing with and ponder ways to take action in order to help it heal. To view more of my work, follow me on IG @onnaschwindt.