Shopping Cart Theory: A Test of Character

Have you ever thought about what happens after you unload your groceries? Do you return the shopping cart to its proper place or leave it in the parking lot? This simple decision is the essence of the Shopping Cart Theory, a concept that examines personal responsibility, ethics, and how we engage with the world when no one is watching.

The theory suggests that returning the cart reflects a sense of accountability and care for others, while leaving it behind might show a lack of consideration. It’s a low-stakes, everyday choice—but one that says a lot about our relationship with responsibility, empathy, and community.

This idea resonates deeply with my Emotional Baggage Cart series. Much like the shopping cart, the baggage we carry is often left unattended. Emotional wounds, microaggressions, and societal pressures pile up, and we’re rarely given the tools—or the time—to sort through them. But what happens when we take responsibility for that baggage? When we pause, reflect, and decide what to carry forward and what to leave behind?

In creating these sculptures, I’m exploring how we navigate the invisible loads we carry. Each Emotional Baggage Cart is layered with materials like zip ties, paracord, and vintage fabrics—metaphors for the weight of trauma, resilience, and healing. They’re a reminder that, much like returning a shopping cart, taking the time to confront our emotional baggage requires effort but ultimately makes the world a better place for ourselves and those around us.

Just as the Shopping Cart Theory invites us to consider our small, everyday actions, my Emotional Baggage Cart series asks us to reflect on our inner world. What are we carrying? What do we need to release? And how can our choices—whether in a parking lot or in life—help foster greater empathy and accountability?

By turning responsibility into ritual and art into reflection, we can lighten our loads, honor our stories, and contribute to a more connected, considerate world. After all, it’s not just about the cart—it’s about the journey.

27 Little Fountain’s Saman Tree: My Muse

The moment we swooped down the driveway of 27 Little Fountain in Christiansted, St. Croix, and saw the towering tree by the dry riverbed, I knew I had found our home. The house, a clear gut job from the MLS listing, didn’t matter. The tree called to me, welcoming me, and I instantly felt the property’s unique magic. The Saman tree (Samanea saman), with its vast canopy and enduring presence, holds deep meaning in Caribbean folklore. Rooted in Afro-Caribbean, Indigenous, and Creole traditions, it symbolizes spirituality, healing, and community—offering profound inspiration for my art and the eco-artist residency I am developing here.

1. Ancestral Spirits

In Afro-Caribbean spiritual traditions such as Obeah, Santería, and Vodou, the Saman tree is revered as a sacred home for ancestral spirits and a portal to the spiritual realm. Its roots are believed to bridge the living and the dead, making it a site for offerings, libations, and prayers to honor ancestors and seek their guidance. The branches of our tree, adorned with wild dragon fruit and night-blooming cereus, provide natural offerings to bats and birds alike.

2. Healing Properties

The Saman tree is valued in Caribbean folk medicine for its practical and symbolic healing powers. Traditional healers use its bark and leaves to make teas for colds, fever, and diarrhea, while its resin or sap is applied to skin wounds. This connection to health and vitality reflects a holistic view of nature as a source of sustenance and renewal.

3. Shelter and Protection

The tree’s sprawling canopy provides more than just shade—it creates a communal space and symbolizes safety. Beneath its branches, we’ve hosted bush baths, storytelling sessions, and community gatherings. For farmers, the Saman tree is a sign of good fortune, its shade nourishing crops, enriching soil, and sheltering goats, embodying abundance and protection. Its deep roots seek out and signal underground water sources, further enhancing its significance.

A Living Symbol of Life and Connection

The Saman tree is deeply intertwined with the life I am building, blending the physical and spiritual worlds. Its legacy of shelter, healing, and connection to ancestors inspires reflection on the unseen forces that shape our lives, echoing themes central to my new work.

This enduring tree stands as a testament to a reverence for nature and its ability to sustain, protect, and heal—a reminder of the profound stories rooted in this land itself.

Unpacking Emotional Baggage

My Emotional Baggage Cart series is deeply personal—a reflection of the weight we all carry, shaped by identity, trauma, and resilience. These sculptures are built from materials like zip ties, paracord, and vintage fabrics, each carefully chosen to represent the layers of emotions we accumulate over time. They are more than just art; they’re vessels for holding the personal and collective experiences that shape us.

Each cart I create tells a story, woven with the threads of microaggressions, stereotypes, and societal expectations, but also resilience, survival, and healing. Using techniques like knotting, weaving, and wrapping, I work intuitively, letting the materials guide me. The tactile nature of this process mirrors the emotions I’m unpacking—it’s messy, complex, and deeply human.

Collaboration is a vital part of my process. I often invite others to share their stories and energy, weaving these collective experiences into the work. This communal element transforms each cart into something bigger than myself, sparking conversations about empathy, bias, and the invisible burdens we all carry.

When I transform a simple shopping cart into a layered, dynamic sculpture, I’m asking: How do we carry our emotional baggage? What are we ready to unpack? And how can art help us heal?

For me, creating these works is as much about the journey as the finished piece. My hope is that these carts inspire others to confront their own stories, find strength in their scars, and see beauty in the process of healing. After all, the things we carry—no matter how heavy—can become something transformative when we choose to face them with creativity and courage.

Emotional Baggage Cart Parade for Kids

Day 1: At The Miami Children’s Museum

What happens with a couple hundred pick out colored ribbons and pipe cleaners based on their “feelings” and tie them to little person shopping carts?

Day 2

Expressing our emotions took on new complexity when finding a clear spot to affix a ribbons onto the cart.

Tangled In Time


Tangled In Time
Theda Sandiford
64x24x8”
Commerical fishing net recovered from Ha’Penny Beach St Croix USVI, crochet Locs saved from previous hairstyles worn by the artist between 2019-2021
2024

This artwork reveals the unseen threads linking past, present, and future, woven with memory, magic, and spiritual protection. Crafted from a blue commercial fishing net washed ashore after a hurricane and crocheted with gray locs, this sacred net bridges the realms of the living and the dead.

Carrying ancestral memories, the net honors those lost in the Atlantic slave trade, paying tribute to the water graves of those who perished. Each knot and thread serves as a conduit, extending beyond the physical realm to embody renewal and release. This piece reminds us that the souls of the departed endure, shaping our collective consciousness.

January: Setting Intentions for a Creative Year

As the new year begins, I’m embracing the opportunity to focus on my creative practice and nurture meaningful projects here in the rainforest. This year feels like a chance to grow, not just as an artist but also as someone committed to honoring cultural heritage and community through my work.

I’ve started by grounding myself in clear intentions, aligning my daily routine with my long-term vision for Sky Garden STX. Each morning, I take time to reflect, write, and plan, ensuring that my efforts stay purposeful. Whether I’m in the studio, collaborating with others, or tending to the Provision Ground ruins, every action connects back to what I hope to achieve.

What helps me most is breaking down big ideas into small, actionable steps. For example, I’ve mapped out time to explore new techniques and complete works, while also dedicating space for developing my property to host artist residents and community workshops. By focusing on what I can do each day, I feel less overwhelmed and more connected to my goals.

This month, I’ve been reminded of the importance of patience and adaptability. Progress doesn’t always look the way we imagine, but it’s the consistency in showing up for our craft that makes the difference. For me, even small victories—a finished piece, a moment of inspiration, a new flower bud, or a thoughtful conversation—are worth celebrating.

As I move forward, I’m committed to taking intentional steps and letting the process unfold naturally, in it’s own time. I hope this inspires you to reflect on what’s meaningful to you this year and to take those first steps toward your own vision.

Emotional Baggage Cart: Unburden, Weave, Connect, Heal


Join me this weekend at the Miami Children’s Museum for in a dynamic, hands-on public art experience centered around my Emotional Baggage Cart series. Through an open dialogue, I will share the inspiration behind the project and explore the emotional weight we all carry.
Community members of all ages, are invited to weave directly onto a kid size shopping carts using a variety of provided materials—or bring personal objects to incorporate, making the piece uniquely meaningful. This collaborative process encourages reflection, healing, and connection, allowing participants to contribute to a collective artwork that symbolizes the shared journey of managing emotional burdens.
Together, we will transform individual stories into a powerful public sculpture, fostering community, empathy, and artistic expression.

Where: The Children’s Museum of Miami

Address: 980 MacArthur Cswy, Miami, FL 33132

When: 10:00am-6:00pm

Beaded Yellow Gal


Beaded Yellow Gal
Theda Sandiford
80x16x5”
Upcycled textiles knotted on braided rope, knotted with cotton string eyelash yarn, fringe and a string of antique bells.
2023

Beaded Yellow Gal transforms a childhood label into a vibrant narrative of self-definition. This work is made from upcycled linens, knotted into braided rope, intertwined with cotton string, eyelash yarn, cascading fringe, and adorned with a string of antique bells. Each element serves as both a reflection of personal history and a declaration of reclamation.

As a child, being called “yellow gal” was an imposed identity. This work channels those experiences into a masquerade costume of vivid color, movement, and sound. The antique bells echo the complex duality of celebration and weight, signaling liberation while reminding us of the chains of societal labels. The knots and textures speak to the intricate weave of identity, shaped by memory, context, and culture.

In transforming this identity into a carnival costume, I claim agency over a narrative once imposed on me. This piece becomes a symbol of transformation—a vibrant expression of joy and defiance that can be worn but, crucially, also taken off. It reminds us that the labels others place on us do not define who we are but can become threads in the larger tapestry of our self-created story.