The Meaning of Everything; A Compendium
A compilation of 18" x 24" pastel drawings depicting the earth’s processes and scientific curiosities
Since 2021, Sarah Peoples has embarked on an ambitious artistic endeavor that serves as both a personal meditation and a broader commentary on environmental processes and human impact. Her ongoing series of simplified topographical-style pastel drawings, which will culminate in an artist book entitled The Meaning of Everything; A Compendium, represents a visual exploration of Earth's natural phenomena and the urgent need for environmental justice.
This project, born out of intense curiosity and a desire to understand the world's complex systems, functions as a long-term meditative practice for the artist. It provides a productive outlet during periods of creative block, allowing Peoples to engage with a list of topics she seeks to understand or learn about through her artistic process. By visually cataloging diverse environmental processes, Peoples strives to foster a deeper understanding of Earth's complex systems and their interconnectedness. This comprehensive approach encourages viewers to consider the far-reaching effects of environmental changes on ecosystems and all forms of life.
Peoples' drawings, numbering in the hundreds, establish a striking duality. While initially appearing idyllic with soft colors and gentle forms, closer examination reveals these serene depictions as representations of catastrophic environmental events such as earthquakes, coastal flooding, and oil spills. This juxtaposition of beauty and disaster highlights the often-deceptive nature of environmental degradation, where the true impact of human activities may not be immediately apparent.
Peoples' art functions as both a warning and a call to action, fusing artistic expression with social and environmental advocacy. It serves as a poignant reflection of our current era, offering a visual record of the Anthropocene - the geological epoch defined by significant human impact on Earth's geology and ecosystems. Ultimately, this project represents an 'impossible' task of fully documenting and understanding the natural world. However, through this process of artistic documentation, Peoples seeks to exert a greater sense of control over the overwhelming complexity of environmental issues. The artist posits that the greatest outcome of this project would be an increased collective consciousness leading to meaningful environmental action, transforming an individual artistic practice into a catalyst for broader societal change.
This project, born out of intense curiosity and a desire to understand the world's complex systems, functions as a long-term meditative practice for the artist. It provides a productive outlet during periods of creative block, allowing Peoples to engage with a list of topics she seeks to understand or learn about through her artistic process. By visually cataloging diverse environmental processes, Peoples strives to foster a deeper understanding of Earth's complex systems and their interconnectedness. This comprehensive approach encourages viewers to consider the far-reaching effects of environmental changes on ecosystems and all forms of life.
Peoples' drawings, numbering in the hundreds, establish a striking duality. While initially appearing idyllic with soft colors and gentle forms, closer examination reveals these serene depictions as representations of catastrophic environmental events such as earthquakes, coastal flooding, and oil spills. This juxtaposition of beauty and disaster highlights the often-deceptive nature of environmental degradation, where the true impact of human activities may not be immediately apparent.
Peoples' art functions as both a warning and a call to action, fusing artistic expression with social and environmental advocacy. It serves as a poignant reflection of our current era, offering a visual record of the Anthropocene - the geological epoch defined by significant human impact on Earth's geology and ecosystems. Ultimately, this project represents an 'impossible' task of fully documenting and understanding the natural world. However, through this process of artistic documentation, Peoples seeks to exert a greater sense of control over the overwhelming complexity of environmental issues. The artist posits that the greatest outcome of this project would be an increased collective consciousness leading to meaningful environmental action, transforming an individual artistic practice into a catalyst for broader societal change.
