“Free Your Mind” is a cascade of story ribbons tied to fishing nets draped upon the wall like a blanket. Visitors are invited to share written statements about experienced microaggression on a “story” ribbon which I will weave into the “Free Your Mind” blanket. Infusing the essence and yarn of each participant into the social fabric of a protective blanket.
Free Your Mind Public Art Installation
Exhibition Dates: On view for the public Thursday through Sunday from 12:00 to 5:00PM until the end of August
Location: ArtCrawl Harlem @ Governors Island, 406b Colonels Row
Theda In Residence: June 25, July 2, July 16, from 11a – 3pm.
Join me on Saturday May 21st for two mixed media workshops at the Center for Contemporary Art; 2020 Burnt Mills Rd, Bedminster, NJ 07921
Register for my class online by clicking here or call 908-234-2345.
Joyful Resistance… Create a self-portrait, an autobiographical composition unifying diverse materials to illustrate Joy. Consider what brings you joy and what may be standing in the way of you being joyful. With this as your guide, collect autobiographical images, sketches and textiles for your story that provide context and bring them to the workshop.
Overview:
The visual fusion of diverse materials describes the mixed media process. The juxtaposition of “found” things (recycled fabric and plastic waste), mixed with art materials create visual tension.
We’ll explore diverse materials, memory and the processes used to create rich juxtapositions and powerful compositions.
Mixed Media processes enlist a variety of mediums to bind different papers, fibers, textured and 3D materials & paints together.
Use a mixture of color relationships, shapes and found images to create a figure with abstract pattern and color.
Consider the contrast of complimentary colors; Red/Green, Blue, Orange, Yellow/Violet…
And contrasting shapes: geometric against more organic shapes, rectangles, circles, squares, maps, stamps, music score…
Or the use of meaningful words laser printed in various fonts/sizes layered in the background.
Collage materials are important ingredient for your compositions- Bring a variety of images from different sources (magazines, old books, postcards, photos (laser prints work best in mixed media works).
Checklist:
Personal Objects: Please bring items that are unique to you and will help tell your story. Bring photographs, laser printed images or drawings in pen, pastel, charcoal, colored pencil to be incorporated into larger works.
Materials to Share: Please bring 10-15 scraps of paper, a magazines, fabric, plastic, or other materials to share with other members of our group. Bring things that are interesting, and things that are not so interesting for negative space. Recycle items from your everyday life.
Substrate: We will focus on 2D and 3D compositions. Layering and a denser relief will be demonstrated.
Paper: Please bring whatever paper, old books, torn maps, stamps, paper currency, tissue paper, newspaper, magazines or any other kind of paper that you might like to use. I use a lot of tissue paper to layer and obscure images.
Acrylic Paints: If you want special colors bring it with you.
Brushes: Please bring brushes. They do not need to be expensive. Two Home Depot 1”flat and 2” flat (soft, flexible brushes), and one nicer #7 or #8 round (also soft, flexible, white or gold nylon) are great tools for your mixed media kit.
Pencils: You may want to bring drawing materials, pencils, colored pencils, etc.
Pens: Bring a couple of your favorite pens. My favorites are Uni-ball Signo, Faber-Castell PITT, gel pens, acrylic markers, and Sharpies of various sizes.
Glitter & Confetti: Craft glitter, confetti or shredded paper can be interesting.
3-D Objects: Small beads, buttons, metal parts, plastic bottle caps, broken jewelry, small beads. shells, watches, found objects etc.
Glue: Regular matte medium (NOT FLUID) and YES paste.
5 Minute Epoxy: To apply heavier items, E6000 is my favorite. You can find this at Home Depot and Amazon.
Scissors & Knives: A pair of scissors and an X-Acto knife.
Rulers: Rulers, triangles and other drawing/drafting tools may also be useful.
Gloves: You may want to wear gloves. I use non-latex gloves.
Clothing: Old clothes or aprons may be in order. You know your own working style and comfort needs. Dress accordingly.
If there are specific tools or materials you do not have, do not stress. Someone will likely share what you need. I have a large tub of scrap paper, tissue paper, deli paper you can use. I will also prepare some other materials you can play with too.
I am so sorry to have to cancel the opening of our rooftop garden to visitors today. The plants are planted but with this slow to start Spring the plants are not splendiferous yet.
I also have an opening in New Canaan CT, and I’m trying to swing by Art House Productions’ Snowball gala tonight.
I promise to open the garden and emotional baggage cart display for frolicing later this Summer when the lavender is blooming.
International Sculpture Day is being celebrated on Governors Island today. My emotional baggage cart “Donda Donda Deluxe” in honor of Kanye West’s relationship with his Mother Dr. Donda West is on display all Summer at Art Crawl Harlem’s house 406b. Stop in and take a photo.
Free Your Mind is a textile public art installation aiming to collect, embed and release personal narratives about Microaggressions.
Microaggressions are subtle, intentional — and oftentimes unintentional — everyday interactions or behaviors that communicate hostile, derogatory or negative racial 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.
Free Your Mind intends to expose these interactions and provide a release for the participating individuals. Participants have the feeling of being seen and acknowledged while interacting with the installation.
The installation evolves with each new ribbon, keeping a public record of disempowering interactions, that can be exposed and addressed.
Last year, Free Your Mind toured, collecting story ribbons in Bayonne NJ, Jersey City NJ, and during Miami Art Week. This summer at Governors Island, Free Your mind is documenting your story.
#freeyourmindart
Free Your Mind
You Are So Articulate
In this weaving, each piece of yarn is representative of a conversation where I was acknowledged for being able to express my thoughts and ideas. Being told I’m well-spoken often comes off as a backhanded compliment. It carries problematic connotations that, it is unusual for someone of my race to be intelligent or eloquent.
The completed weaving is displayed on a DYI loom, as if the work is still in progress because some version of this conversation, continues still…
The assignment… collage one iPhone photo, to pass the time while riding NJ Transit 123 bus from Union City NJ to NYC the summer of 2015.
Have you ever had someone put their hands in your hair without asking first?
This was a regular occurrence for me while riding the bus or subway… before the Pandemic. This is not ok. Please don’t pet me like a dog because my hair fascinates you.
Today, I rarely use public transportation and work mostly from home. I wonder, has social distancing caused a shift in this behavior?
Exhibition Dates: April 1 2022- May 28th, 2022 Opening Reception: April 16, 2022, 4:00 – 8:00pm Closing Reception: May 21, 2022, 4:00 – 8:00pm
Location: Blue Lines Arts: 405 Vernon Street Suite 100, Roseville, CA 95678
Emotional Baggage Cart Installation @ Expo Chicago
The International Exposition of Contemporary & Modern Art
Exhibition Dates: April 7 2022 – April 10 2022
Location: Navy Pier Chicago, Booth #377
Mixed Media
Exhibition Dates: April 22, 2022 –May 22, 2022
Location: Site:Brooklyn Gallery Online Gallery
Theda Sandiford’s: Joyful Resistance
Exhibition Dates: April 22 2022 – June 4, 2022
Location:The Center for Contemporary Art; 2020 Burnt Mills Rd, Bedminster, NJ 07921
Sculpture Walk Springfield 2022-2023
Exhibition Dates: April 23,2022- May 21, 2023
Location: 411 N. Sherman Parkway, Springfield MO 65802.
International Sculpture Day
Join Sky Garden Gallery for a fun interactive rooftop photoshoot with Theda Sandiford’s Emotional Baggage Carts. Come play and have your picture taken.
Saturday April, 30 2022 from 12:00- 3:00pm
Location: 150 Bay Street, PH9, Jersey City, 10th floor
On Location: Art 150; 150 Bay Street, Jersey City NJ, Studio #231
Of Friday, September 10, I’m hosting my first open studio session in 18 months.
Audience participation is encouraged. Come wrap and hitch knot yarn onto rope to become a part of a hair installation and find a common denominator amongst us all, HAIR.
We are also making strings of beads made with recycled bottle caps in the 2nd floor common area of Art 150.
NOTE: Entrance lobby for the 2nd floor studios is separate from that for the residential units of 150 Bay and can be found at the NE corner of the building, at the corner of 1st St. and Provost St.
Virtual JC Fridays will take place on Zoom! There will be one online event showcasing all that Jersey City has to offer, hosted by Art House Productions. I’ll be showing my baggage carts.
Free, advance registration is required to receive the Zoom link. Register HERE
Luis Alves: Luis Alves’s photo collages utilizes appropriated imagery from magazines, to incite dialogue on the role the media plays in the shaping of our lives. Each collage is hand-manipulated with the goal of transformation as a way of commenting on, satirizing or criticizing the source material. Website
Theda Sandiford: Theda Sandiford: Using internal conflict and diverse recycled materials as a starting point she constructs a mixed media mask to protect herself from fear. What may start off as an ugly statement about herself, is in the end transformed into something beautiful. Theda photographs her process and then digitally manipulate these images to extend the narrative.
Leslie Sheryl: Leslie Sheryll’s photo based collages start with appropriated 19th century tintypes which she scans and digitally manipulates. Sheryll then incorporate historical facts, imagery, personal experience and an infusion of fantasy to create a new narrative about women Website
Brad Terhune: Brad Terhune is forever seeking out new materials to work with leads to changes in style and subject. Terhune looks to create a weird, surreal world, and have been influenced by early twentieth century art movements that embraced and explored collage, while continuing to explore this vibrant medium in the contemporary arena. Website
Psykhe Size: 20 x 20 in Medium: Fine Art Print Psyche was the goddess of the soul and the wife of Eros god of love.
Please join me this weekend for two open studio events at my studio Garden Level Gallery
Art Supply Swap: 4/13
Marie Condo your art supplies. Bring a bag of art supplies you are not using and swap it for something else. Craft paper, paint, colored pencils, frames, yarn, fabric… you get the idea.
If you are saving recycled bottle caps for me this is the perfect time to visit my studio and see what i’m doing with your gifts
Save the Date: Saturday, April 13, 12:00-3:00pm, RSVP here
LOCATION: Garden Level Gallery, 315 3rd Street, Jersey City NJ
Yarn Wrapping Circle: 4/14
Imagine, hair. The elusive, coveted “good” hair. On some days and for some people, that is my hair. Or was. Or can be. But you should know by now – Don’t. Touch. My. Hair. That is unless you come help me make hair made from rope and yarn in this Yarn Wrapping Circle. No experience necessary, I will teach you the knots. Come for the fellowship or to try something new.
Date: April 14th 2019, 1:00-4:00pm
LOCATION: Garden Level Gallery, 315 3rd Street, Jersey City NJ
