JC Friday Art Supply Swap

I am getting ready for the JC Friday Art Supply Swap. And to be honest I’m struggling with my hoarder tendencies while attempting to Marie Kondo my stash.

How are you doing collecting art supplies to swap? If there is something you are specifically looking for, drop a comment,

And come to Sky Garden Gallery’s Art Supply Swap with your items and trade, them for something else.


March 4, 2022, 5pm – 8pm
Location: Art 150 studio #321 @ 150 Bay Street, Jersey City. Entrance at Provost and First Street.

I’m a Visions & Voices: Finalist

Visions & Voices highlights the works of African American Artists from the Mid-Atlantic region.

While twenty different artists were selected to show works, five artists were selected to have their pieces considered to be added to the The Biggs Museum of American Art’s permanent collection.

The winning piece will be decided entirely by public vote. The winning artist will lead an artist talk on May 18 from 5:30 – 6:30 PM.

Cast your vote HERE!

Free Your Mind

Free Your Mind is a public textile art project aiming to collect, exhibit, embed and release personal narratives about Microaggressions in a multi-sensory installation facilitated by artist Theda Sandiford.

Microaggressions are subtle, intentional — and oftentimes unintentional — everyday interactions or behaviors that communicate hostile, derogatory or negative messages or assumptions toward historically marginalized groups. The weight of these daily interactions underpins very real consequences… stress, anger, frustration, self-doubt and ultimately feelings of powerlessness and invisibility.

This project intends to expose these interactions and provide a release for the participating individuals. Participants are invited to write a story about a microaggression they have experienced onto a ribbon and tie this ribbon onto a netto release this story from their personal narrative. This is a story ribbon.

The installation evolves with each new story ribbon, keeping a public record of disempowering interactions, that can be exposed and talked about. Participants have the feeling of being seen and acknowledged while interacting with the work. In the installation space, as visitors move throughout the space, motion sensors trigger monotone computer voice recordings of story ribbons.

In 2021 Free Your Mind toured, collecting story ribbons in Bayonne NJ, Jersey City NJ, Sunsets @ The Standard, Miami Art Week. In 2022 the installation will travel to ExpoChicago April 4-7 Navy Pier and will make stops in Brooklyn and Newark this year.

Free Your Mind
Free Your Mind – detail of Story Ribbons

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HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Interested individuals, institutions and businesses can support the project by engaging themselves and/or communities to collect story ribbons

SHARE YOUR STORY >>

Share a story about a microaggression you have experienced? How did it make you feel?

PARTICIPATE >> ONLINE HERE

OR MAIL STORY RIBBONS>>

Using a Sharpie, in two sentences (100 words max.) write your story on a ribbon

Mail your story ribbon to…

Project Free Your Mind c/o Sky Garden Gallery, 150 Bay St. PH9 Jersey City NJ 07302

Anonymous story ribbons and the textile artwork containing them will be shared on Instagram and www.thedasandiford.com.

Follow @misstheda and @skygardengallery on Instagram to get updates on this project and see your story in the installation.

February Exhibitions/Up Next

Visions & Voices

I have been invited to show three works in The Biggs Museum of American Art’s juried exhibition, Visions & Voices highlighting the work of twenty regional African American artists of the Mid-Atlantic region.

Location: The Biggs Museum of American Art, 406 Federal St Dover DE 19901

Opening Reception: Friday, February 4, 5 – 8 PM

Pre-registration is free and strongly encouraged. Get your tickets HERE

Exhibition Dates: February 4, 2022 – May 21, 2022

Free Your Mind: Social Justice Public Art Installation

Free Your Mind is a collection of personal narratives. Participants are invited to share an personal experience with implicit bias to release this story from their personal narrative. Later, artist Theda Sandiford will weave these stories in the installations as computer generated voice recordings.  Motion sensors trigger these recording in the installation of the tapestry.

Share your Story here

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1DJnPSUHid5xcthrbRXDLcP50tLUa0pf8l_cgSaXL5qw/edit

JC Friday Art Supply Swap

Do you have left over materials from an art project? Have WAY too much Cadmium White when you need Pastels? Do you have skeins of yarn you are not using? Or supplies from an art practice you no longer use?

Come to Sky Garden Gallery’s Art Supply Swap with your items and trade, them for something else.

March 4, 2022, 5pm – 8pm
Location: 150 Bay Street, Jersey City

Summit Public Art: The Baggage We Carry

Public Art Installation On View:  May 2021 – May 2022

Location: Summit Village Green, 356 Broad Street Summit, NJ 

Three Emotional Baggage Carts are on display for the next year. When the sun sets, the carts solarl panels light up and take on a new form, glowing from within.