Sarah Haskell

My medium is thread - investigating the mystery of encoded fabrics and the hidden language of cloth. Using the forest, field and sea as the source of my palette I dye linen, paper, rayon and cotton threads with plants and minerals. Then I weave, embroider, net or crochet these threads, seeking to define a personal truth and collective wisdom. 

Exploring the parallels between the Buddhist concept of impermanence of my organic textile materials and our human bodies, I often treat my textiles to rust dyeing, weathering, bleach and compost dyeing. These transformative and dye processes allow me to be a witness in the process of metamorphosis and to challenge my attachment to what I once deemed as precious. After the handwoven linen has been weathered and dyed, I embellish it with hand stitching to add details to the imagery and story. 

Indra's Net is inspired by the central metaphor that illustrates the Avatamsaka cosmology. It describes a net of jewels, where the polished surface of each jewel reflects all other jewels. In my piece, small Maine beach stones, encased in waxed, naturally dyed linen suspend from sturdy corsage pins, creating a web of shadows and slight movement threads as the air moves.

Indra’s Jewels builds on the Buddhist metaphor of Indra’s Net with a large, singular stone or several small, bundled stones suspend down from a cast iron hook.

Hold Me Like A Mother has grown from my personal need to hold those people and things I love close to heart.  From political unrest to climate insecurity—I find myself in need of an anchor for my unsteady nerves. At first I took small natural objects such as a pine cone, mushroom or shell and crocheted a little nest or cozy to keep it safe. Then I began to do the same for beach stones gathered along the coast. 

Although my work is constructed using traditional techniques, my work is more poetic than practical; finding beauty in the subtle variations of naturally dyed and hand woven threads.