Conceptual Materials Social Practice Artist
Join me for World Collage Day on Saturday, May 11, to honor this community of artists and to remind the world what a spirit of cooperation, mutual support, and creativity can look like when people come together as a community.
SAVE THE DATE: 5/11 @ 1-5pm
LOCATION: Garden Level Gallery 315 3rd Street, Jersey City NJ
Bring paper, magazines, found materials and your preferred substrate. I have paint, scissors and various glues…
$5 suggested donation to cover material costs.
Join me at One River this Tuesday March 12th @ 6:30pm for a talk about my Women of Wonder series, a pure celebration of expression, music, femininity, and belief in oneself. A confirmation of life repeated as a cannon of ‘I am who I am.’
DATE & TIME: Tuesday, March 12, 2019 from 6:30-7:30pm
LOCATION: One River; 292 Millburn Ave, Millburn, NJ 07041
We often travel to the corners of the planet looking for safe places to BE. When what is actually necessary is a declaration: “We are our own selves!†There is a place for all of our being; the sexy, the demure, the loud and the reticent.
On our own terms of being in our own skin when and how we need to be…
Ella, Eartha, Grace, Diahann, Billie, and Nina (YES! Nina) taught us and made way for the Cardi’s, Beyonce’s and Nikki’s of this world. We all fit and there is plenty of room for us. When we make room for ourselves.
I recently did an interview with Vitiello Communications to talk about my process, inspirations and motivation as an artist and business woman.
Read on https://vtlo.com/blog/wonder-women-theda-sandiford/
This body of work is a collection of one sided conversations. As a woman, I find it is often easier to make my way in the world by keeping my mouth shut. To simply grin and bare it when haters, well meaning friends or co-workers say or do something incorrect or insensitive.
As a child, my father would say to me, “Better to be thought a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubtâ€. So in keeping my mouth shut, I learned, to be seen, and selectively heard.
With ‘Big Mouth’, I am all of it. The sass, the crass, the erudite and more than that, aware. Aware of the language used to quiet me down. To remind me of what is and most importantly, what isn’t being said.
My status as “other†does not always grant the luxury to say what is truly there for me, to correct a slight or present an alternative point of view. I have to be vigilantly self aware, and know the right time to speak up or how to frame my words so that they can be received in the best possible light. Sharing my uncensored opinion can quickly get me labeled as being “too big in a room†or worse an “Angry Black Womanâ€. When that happens, full stop. My opinion is dismissed outright. Somewhere along the way, I’ve even stopped correcting people who mispronounce my name. It’s Thee-duh if you are interested.
11″x14″ print in frame, 20″x16″ total size.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn9-v0sgPIw&w=560&h=315]
What if i let my mind wander and see where my hands lead me…
These abstract figurative self portraits where made over the course of 5 weekends using the fine print from my MS medication, Tysbari and other recycled paper scrapes Ive been hoarding all year.
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 12″x9″Canson paper.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries?list=PLk2jgVFOoq2h3bpqr0i8_RGq5v_WZWzw5&w=560&h=315]
As a woman of color, I find It is often easier to make my way in the world by keeping my mouth shut. To simply grin and bare it when haters, well meaning friends or co-workers say or do something incorrect or insensitive. As a child, my father would say to me, “Better to be thought a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt†So I learned to keep my mouth shut, to be seen, and selectively heard.
My status as “other†does not always grant the luxury to say what is truly there for me, to correct a slight or present an alternative point of view. I have to be vigilantly self aware, and know the right time to speak up or how to frame my words so that they can be received in the best possible light. Sharing my uncensored opinion can quickly get me labeled as being “too big in a room†or worse an “angry black womanâ€. When that happens, full stop. My opinion is dismissed outright. Somewhere along the way, I’ve even stopped correcting people who mispronounce my name. It’s Thee-duh if you are interested.
It can be frustrating to constantly edit myself for the sake of others but thank goodness I have my art as a vehicle for my voice to be heard, long after I’m gone. This body of work is a collection of one sided conversations. The things I wish I said or could say, the things I say under my breath or the affirmations I use to remind myself that my voice is relevant even when no one is listening.
Thanks to Big Mouth… look who has the last word now.
One of collectors, Michelle Stevens on did such a lovely job framing her Selfie Joy print. I had just had to share!
You can get your own print of Selfie Joy in my Shopify store.
Late Summer I started working on an edition of linocut mixed media self portrait collaged prints on paper. I used the fine print from my Tysabri infusion and boarding passes from my travels this year to mark the passage of time.
All works are 7″x5″ in a 10″x8″ mat ready to be framed. These works are priced to move on my Shopify store at $75 each. A steal for an original piece of art, if you ask me. So if you have been meaning to get little something for yourself click here.
Hamilco white card stock, Speedball block printing ink, Golden fluid acrylic, Sharpie, paper boarding passes, Mulberry paper, construction paper flower, glitter glue, glitter and sparkle.
Curious about the inspiration behind the body of work Women of Wonder? Watch…