Craft and Emotion in the Anthropocene

In the Anthropocene, an epoch marked by profound human impacts on Earth's systems, ecological grief emerges as a critical affective, ethical, and political force. This paper explores how craft, as a methodical and reflective practice of slow organizing, offers a pathway to transform ecological grief into meaningful and adaptive action. Positioned against the accelerating pace of environmental destruction, craft resists the urgency and detachment often associated with modern responses to planetary crises. Instead, it fosters deliberate, material engagement, bridging grief and action through processes of care, collaboration, and ethical reflection. Drawing on the work of Swedish textile artist Birgitta Nordström, we illustrate how craft practices can serve as a counterforce to despair, cultivating solidarity and reimagining human-nonhuman relationships. By embracing an "ethics of mending," craft provides a tangible framework for navigating loss and fostering resilience in an era of planetary crisis. This study situates craft as a vital practice capable of reshaping how we confront the emotional, ethical, and ecological challenges of our time.