Category: Fiber

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Offering to the Lost Ones


Offering to the Lost Ones
Theda Sandiford
42x10x5”
Recovered marine line, sea tumbled, woven and knotted with eyelash yarn, acrylic yarn , deconstructed line, glass beads, shells, chain and hand made bells.
2024

Offering to the Lost Ones is a sacred beacon of remembrance, crafted to honor the spirits lost during the transatlantic slave trade while reflecting on humanity’s ongoing disruption of the natural world. Using recovered marine line, sea-tumbled and woven with eyelash yarn, acrylic yarn, deconstructed line, glass beads, shells, chains, and handmade bells, this work becomes a poignant bridge between memory and materiality, life and loss.

The materials themselves—objects shaped by the violence of tropical storms and hurricanes—carry dual histories. They embody the enduring impact of environmental devastation and echo the turbulent seas that bore witness to unimaginable human suffering. Each knot, bead, and bell in this piece holds space for reflection, transforming debris into a solemn offering to the lost ones whose names and stories dissolved into the depths of the Atlantic.

This work evokes the fractured journey of the Middle Passage, where bodies cast into an ocean that became both a witness and a grave. The fragile interplay of synthetic and organic elements—chains and bells against shells and glass—mirrors the tension between bondage and liberation, death and resilience.

Offering to the Lost Ones calls us to remember the past while confronting the present. It reminds us that the sea, a vast expanse of life and mystery, carries both the weight of ancestral grief and the scars of modern neglect. In this offering, I seek not only to mourn but to inspire a dialogue about healing and reconciliation— between humanity and the natural world.

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Liminal Staff


Liminal Staff
Theda Sandiford
32x12x4”
Recovered marine line, sea tumbled, woven and knotted with alpaca wool, fabric, acrylic yarn, beads, shells, washers, vintage watch and deconstructed line
2024

Liminal Staff is an emblem of authority and sovereignty.  It stands as a sacred artifact, a conduit between worlds, bearing witness to the unseen threads that bind the past, present, and future. Crafted from recovered marine line, sea-tumbled and imbued with layers of memory, it is woven and knotted with alpaca wool, fabric, acrylic yarn, beads, shells, washers, vintage watch parts, and deconstructed line. Each element tells a story, a fragment of life reclaimed from the chaos of hurricanes, transformed into a vessel of spiritual protection and ancestral reverence.

This work emerges from the tension of being both tethered and adrift. It honors the countless lives lost to the Atlantic, the water graves of the enslaved, and the resilience of those who survived. The Liminal Staff bridges realms—living and dead, land and sea—echoing the pull of tides and the cyclical rhythm of existence. Conjure bags, locs of hair, and marine debris lend their essence to this creation, layering it with magic, memory, and the energy of reclamation.

We are water’s kin, caught in its perpetual embrace. This piece reminds us of our origins and the call of the ocean’s depths, where our spirits forever reside. Like the rivers that flow unerringly toward the sea, the Liminal Staff symbolizes our eternal connection to nature’s grace, the harmony between destruction and renewal, and the enduring strength of the human spirit to find its way home

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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.

Tangled In Time – close up 1
Tangled In Time – close up 2
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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.

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For Venus and Serena

This piece honors all the girls with beaded braids who grew up watching the Williams sisters, finding strength and pride in their grace, power, and unapologetic excellence—both on the court and in the court of public opinion. Venus and Serena embody Black excellence, breaking barriers and redefining what is possible. This artwork is a salute to their legacy and to the generations inspired by their resilience and brilliance.

Crafted from two vintage tennis rackets, African print fabric, paracord, loop yarn, bottle caps, ribbon hair beads, a watch face, acorns, and other ephemera, the work weaves together materials that symbolize both heritage and individuality. The beaded elements evoke the rhythmic sounds of braids on the move, echoing the energy and determination of every young girl daring to see herself in their story.

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WIP: Celestial Nexus

This artwork, crafted from three-ply cotton glitter rope, intricately knotted and wrapped with eyelash yarn, embroidery floss, and crystal beads, forms the foundational layer of a spiritual altar. Designed to harmonize with feathers, shells, and a bowl of water, it amplifies elemental energies to create a sacred space for reflection, connection, and renewal.

Its circular form embodies the cyclical nature of life and the continuous flow of energy, symbolizing the infinite interplay between air and water. The shimmering materials catch and reflect light, evoking sunlight filtering through shifting clouds or the unseen yet ever-present currents of wind moving through the atmosphere. This piece invites a meditative engagement, weaving together elements of nature and spirit into a unified, radiant whole.

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Pitchy Plachy #2

This soft fiber sculpture is inspired by my research into the traditional masquerade costumes of St. Croix’s Old Time Christmas Festival.

It represents “Pitchy Patchy,” a character known for wearing a suit of tattered, colorful fabric pieces. In the festival, Pitchy Patchy acts as an enforcer, maintaining order among the carnival masquerades and performers.

Upcycled Patagonia shorts wrapped with embroidery floss, 4 ply worsted wool, soft rainbow wool, eyelash yarn, embellished with wooden and metal beads, cowrie shells and hair jewelry.
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After The Dance


After The Dance
Theda Sandiford
22x12x5”
Wire, beaded bib, chenille, ribbon, acrylic yarns, metallic rayon fabric, metallic yarn knotted and wrapped on three ply cotton rope.
2024

After The Dance is a vibrant homage to the spirit of Caribbean carnival festivities—a celebration of the transformative power of joy. This piece, crafted from wire, a beaded bib, chenille, ribbon, acrylic yarns, metallic rayon fabric, metallic yarn, and three-ply cotton rope, captures the kaleidoscope of color and movement that defines carnival.

The textures and materials intertwine to evoke the exuberance of masquerade costumes, the rhythm of soca and calypso, and the shimmer of sequins catching the sun.

Through this work, I reflect on the ephemeral yet profound nature of carnival. The piece is a snapshot of the moments “after the dance,” when the streets grow quieter but the energy of celebration lingers, echoing in our bodies and spirits.

After The Dance invites the viewer to celebrate the beauty of transformation, community, and the enduring cultural legacies carried forward through carnival—a vivid reminder that even in the aftermath, the spirit of the dance lives on.