As a child, my grandmother insisted My sister and I learn how to sew. “These are important skills every young lady must know,”she would say. And even though I thought it was “old fashioned,” I learned to sew on a vintage Singer machine.
I vividly remember lying on the floor under the machine with my cheek resting on the cold metal stand while Grandma worked the pedals with her feet, letting out the hem on my pants to accommodate my growth spurt that summer. Whenever I see an old Singer machine this memory pops into my head, I can feel the cold metal on my face and smell a wiff of Grandmas perfume, Charlie.
My sister and I also learned needle point, crochet, beading, jewelry making from my Mom and friendship bracelets, macrame, basket weaving as Girl Scouts. My Mom was our troop leader. At the time, these were deemed important skills for young ladies to have… but somewhere along the way, after my Grandmother passed in 1988, I stopped doing “Women’s Work” and set aside craft in pursuit of “more important” things that would help me get ahead in the world, like scholastic aptitude.
My crafting skills lay buried deep in my subconscious for decades, until I rediscovered how restorative working with my hands can be. The repetition of knotting and wrapping has a meditative quality that silences the mind. My brain literally switches off and my hands just do their thing, fusing rope, yarn, ribbon and thread into something new. When I snap out of the trance, something miraculous rests in my hands. It never ceases to amaze me how insanely productive I can be when I stop thinking and just be. Counterintuitive, I know, but this how creativity manifests for me.
I want to honor the women who instilled my love of art, by elevating craft to fine art and banishing the perception that “Women’s Work” is not as important as other art practices. All there is to do, is just be and let it happen.
To prepare for this journey, I am taking a couple workshops for fun and brush up on my skills at the Textile Arts Center in NYC this quarter.
Bead Embroidery workshop on 02/06/2020
Intro to Macrame + Knotting, a full day class on 02/16/2020
Advanced Pompom Techniques workshop on 03/03/2020
Check this space and my Instagram @MissTheda to see what I’m learning and how I’m incorporate these techniques into my art practice. I am excited to see what happens…
When I applied for the 14C Art Fair, I did not think my application would be accepted. You don’t get if you don’t try, so I applied anyway, to both the Juried Show and for my own room to exhibit and host a fiber workshop. And by some miracle, here I am with an acceptance to both.
My work will be on display in exhibition room 843 at the Hyatt Regency, Exchange Place in Jersey City NJ from February 21st – 23rd.
I will be hosting a Yarn Wrapping Workshop in my exhibition room through out the art fair. Watch this space for more detail on the times for the workshop and to sign up.
Ive been invited to participate in an as yet unnamed group exhibit at BSB Gallery in Trenton NJ this May 2020. The exhibit was inspired by my conversation with the curator about the experiences women of color in the corporate world. My work will be featured alongside several other black women’s that hold a commanding presence both in their artwork and in their daily lives. I am really looking forward to meeting the other artists.
If Wonder Woman Selfie tapestry has not found a new home by May, I think her largess will fit nicely at BSB Gallery, in their soaring double height space. I hope they think so also…
“Welcome to Fight Club” Digital Print On Metallic Photo Paper Framed Size: 22 x 22 x 1 inches, 2017 Being a black woman in corporate America is like Fight Club. I must mold my personality to be palatable as a peach and keep my opinions to myself. The first rule of Fight Club is: you do not talk about Fight Club. The second rule of Fight Club is: you DO NOT talk about Fight Club! Third rule of Fight Club: if someone yells “stop!â€, goes limp, or taps out, your career is over.
Ill be participating in Finding Your Voice in America Today exhibition, a dialogue between disparate voices sharing a new perspective on today’s political climate at Kelwood Contemporary Art in Baton Rouge, LA.
EXHIBITION DATES: January 10, 2020- March 8, 2020
LOCATION: Kelwood Contemporary Art, 8202 Kelwood Ave. Baton Rouge, LA
My Work “Don’t Blink” will be available for auction at Art House’s Snow Ball Gala in Jersey City on January 25th, 2020. This annual creative black tie gala raises funds for an ambitious season of arts and educational programming at Art House. This year’s theme is The Wizard of Oz!!
Art House’s Snow Ball Gala: January 25th, 2020.
LOCATION: Art House Productions, 262 17th St, Jersey City, NJ 07310
Tickets are still available. Be sure to say hello to McCarty, he will be representing for me at Snow Ball, ill be away for the Grammy’s in LA.
Don’t Blink is a digital rework of cut and paste collage printed on aluminum. #analog2digital
Monmouth Museum’s 41st Annual Juried Exhibition
I didn’t get in last year, but this year I have been accepted into Monmouth Museum’s 41st Annual Juried Exhibition with one of my recent mixed media fiber works.
“Camouflage Pink” a 100’x1/2″ wrapped cotton rope embellished with floral beaded garland be presented in the Main Gallery from January 18, 2020 – March, 14, 2020.
EXHIBITION DATES: January 18, 2020 – March 14, 2020 OPENING RECEPTION: Saturday, January 18, 2020 from 5pm – 7pm
I love making art but I love finding my art new homes even more. With McCarty’s help, this will be the year we maximize Shopify’s marketing automation tools and revenue on ThedaSandifordArt.com. Yes, this means I’ll recommit to Instagram and post at least once a day.
Use this space to document my preparation and participation in Kenya Friends Art Residency this July 2020… Ive already started studying Kiswahili on Duolingo. And created a Pinterest Inspiration board so you can see where my head is at. More to come, as I to learn to cook ugali and map out my adventure.
Apply for and Win a grant to further develop, I Am My Hair Art Workshop. I want to take my workshop to Atlanta, Nashville and Austin. And create a catalog documenting the stories and people who participate in the workshop.
I live art-ed making a Vision Board at SXSW in 2007 (I think that was the year). I want to up the ante and run I Am My Hair workshop at SXSW in 2021. I need help capturing video of me working in studio and editing a clip I can submit as part of a multimedia application for SXSW Art Program 2021. Any volunteers? I can barter with art, a delicious meal and wine paring.
You can own your own pair of Theda Artist Collection Boots while supplies last… The original art was made in response to being asked to “Dim my Light” so that “less dynamic people” would not be threatened by me. Reimagined as a boot, this work of art is now a potent reminder to Always Be You, No Matter What.
-13″ tall boot -J toe -1 1/2″ stacked leather heel -full leather sole -Canvas on Leather top replicating Theda Sandifords are Piece -Embroidery on foot on heel to compliment image. -handcrafted in Mexico by Planet Cowboy *Limited size run available
Please call for more information 646 559 4779 or contact@spacecowboyboots.com or buy now.
I showed for the very first time in Jersey City during Little Wonders at LITM way back in the early 2000s. It was the first time I showed my cut and paste collages. Curator Andrea Morin encouraged me to do more, I have been showing during Little Wonders ever since.
I have two mixed media portraits and 3 Big Mouth Prints in the show. Everything is priced under $200. So if you have been waiting to buy something for yourself, tad dah.
EXHIBITION DATES: Wednesday, December 4, 2019 – Sunday, January 5 2020
OPENING RECEPTION: Wednesday December 4, 2019 at 7 PM
LOCATION: LITM; 140 Newark Ave, Jersey City, NJ
Hidden Figure #4 Medium: Acrylic paint, Sharpie, colored pencils, pastels, Distress Stain, mica spray, Tysabri newsprint, hand printed deli paper, construction paper, recycled Tazo tea box, tulle, glitter stars, glitter glue and rhinestones on Canson paper. Framed Size (h w d): 12 x 9 x 0.05 inHidden Figure #12 Medium: Acrylic paint, Sharpie, colored pencils, pastels, Distress Stain, mica spray, Tysabri newsprint, hand printed deli paper, construction paper, recycled Tazo tea box, tulle, glitter stars, glitter glue and rhinestones on Canson paper. Framed Size (h w d): 12 x 9 x 0.05 in
Curators: Dorie Dahlberg, Maryann Ficker Book Designer: Pablo Chavarria Participating Artists: Bithika Adhikary, Christine Barney, Alberte Bernier, Susan Carolonza Chanin, Lisa Collorodo, Leila Contreras Larenas, Gannon Crutcher, Dorie Dahlberg, Stephanie Daniels, Paul Dennison, Edward Fausty (book only), Maryann Ficker, Jim Fischer, Cheryl Gross, E. Jan Kounitz, Debra F. Livingston, Alpana Mittal, Theda Sandiford, Nicoletta Siccone, Brad Terhune, Mollie Thonneson, Jingyi Wang
“The Perfect Spread“ Photograph, 14″x18″ framed
I start my studio practice with a lovely brunch; frittata, fruit, cheese, charcuterie, chutney, olives, pickles, banquette and croissant. Add a double espresso and mango mimosa and then I’m ready to create.
Every Ghetto Every City
EXHIBITION DATES: December 13th-January 4th, 2020
OPENING RECEPTION: Friday, December 13th, 5-7pm
LOCATION: BSB Gallery 143 East State Street, Suite 4, Trenton, NJ
My fine art print “Merging At The Lincoln Tunnel” and large fabric installation “Tag 1” have been accepted to be displayed at BSB Gallery in Trenton NJ. The gallery is housed in a beautiful old bank with soaring ceilings and marble columns.
“Merging at the Lincoln Tunnel” Digital photo collage. City Series 2015 #ThedaSandiford “Tag 1” Digital photo collage. Street Art Mash Up 2015 #ThedaSandiford #Graffiti
