Coyote Deconstructed

2023, Virginia

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A project demonstrating the many forms of material which can be created from one mammal skin (in this case a single coyote skin), through processes of separating and recombining using local materials. The three distinct materials shown- 1) vegetable tanned grain leather, 2) fur flat felt, and 3) two-ply yarn- represent only a fraction of the materials which may emerge from this one skin within the limits of the bioregion. This project aims to highlight the diversity and adaptability of land based, handmade textiles representative of pre- and anti-capitalist human cultures, in contrast to the standardization, uniformity and globalization of modern manufactured textiles. 

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The leather (commission) was tanned with red maple (Acer rubrum) bark, softened on an osage orange wood carved paddle, and oiled with rendered black bear fat. Yarn was spun by drop spindle hand carved from local Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) and osage orange wood. Fur felt was hand felted using soap and cold water on a found wooden board.  

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