Free Your Mind: Live Demo This Weekend

Live Art Demos: August 6 and August 20 from 11a – 3pm.

Location: Governors Island, ArtCrawl Harlem house, 406b Colonels Row

The installation runs through the end of August 2022

Free Your Mind is a collection of personal narratives. Participants are invited to share a personal experience with implicit bias to release this story from their personal narrative. Later, artist Theda Sandiford will weave these stories into a protective blanket.

Share your Story here

I’m on Governors Island Every Saturday

Free Your Mind Public Art Installation @ Art Crawl Harlem

Live Art Demos on July 23, July 30, August 6 and August 13 from 11a – 3pm.

Location: Governors Island, 406b Colonels Row

The installation is on display through the end of August 2022.

Come hang out and play with me while I live weave a new emotional baggage cart. Feel free to bring any recycled fibers or textiles to weave onto the cart. No experience necessary.

Join Me on Governors Island next weekend

Free Your Mind Public Art Installation @ Art Crawl Harlem

Live Art Demos on July 9, July 16, August 6 and August 20 from 11a – 3pm.

Location: Governors Island, 406b Colonels Row

The installation is on display through the end of August 2022.

Come hang out and play with me while I live weave a new emotional baggage cart.

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 into a protective blanket. 

Free Your Mind from Microaggressions with Me this Saturday

“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.

Welcome to Governors Island

ArtCrawl Harlem 2022

ArtCrawl Harlem along with other local arts and culture programs returns to Governors Island to offer programs and residencies within the historical homes on Nolan Park and Colonels Row as well as welcome the public in for art exhibits, open studios, art talks and more.

This Summer, I am presenting “Free Your Mind” and “Personal Baggage” two Interactive Art Installations as part of ArtCrawl Harlem’s House at 406B Colonels Row, Governors Island, NYC. On view for the public Friday through Sunday from 12:00 to 5:00PM.

You are invited to work with me on an Emotional Baggage Cart in progress on Governors Island on these dates June 11, June 25, July 2, July 16, August 6 and August 20 from 11:00am – 2:00pm on each day.

Please DM me if you plan to come.

July Exhibitions

The Baggage We Carry

Public Art Installation On View:  May 2021 – May 2022

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

Three Emotional Baggage Carts are on display for the next year.  I want to draw people in and spark their curiosity. Not only to discover what materials are used to create these sculptures, but to look within and recognize the emotional baggage they are carrying. Each cart is affixed with a solar panel. When the sun sets, the carts light up and take on a new meaning and form, glowing from within.

Hiding In Plain Sight

Solo Exhibit on View: June 10–August 23, 2021

On Location: The Museum of Contemporary African Diaspora Arts (MoCADA)/ Nolan Park House 7A, Governors Island, NYC

Visit MoCADA’s Virtual Gallery here.

A dynamic presentation made up of a virtual exhibition and public art installation on Governors Island, Hidden in Plain Sight confronts the psychological impact of racial gaslighting as revealed in her everyday interactions.

The Social Fabric: Black Artistry in Fiber Arts, An Exhibition in Homage to Viki Craig

Exhibit On View: June 4, 2021 – October 24, 2021

On Location: Morris Museum,  6 Normandy Heights Rd, Morristown, NJ

Curated by Gwendolyn Barrington Jackson, Nette Forné Thomas, Onnie Strother, and Wannetta Phillips (Art in the Atrium, Inc.), with Ronald T. Labaco (Morris Museum).

Featuring 50 works by over 27 artists, including Aminah Robinson, Beverly McCutcheon, Bisa Washington, Carole Robinson, Clara Nartey, Denise Toney, Ellaree Pray, Faith Ringgold, Gladys Barker Grauer, Glendora Simonson, Janet O. Green, Jeanine Bowen, Katie Commodore, Kianga Jinaki, Michael Cummings, Minnie Melvin, Sharela May Bonfield, Sherry Shine, Shervone Neckles, Stephen Towns, Theda Sandiford, Tina Williams Brewer, Toni Thomas, Viki Craig, Wannetta Phillips, and Maureen Kelleher and The Social Justice Collaboration Quilts Project.

NJ Arts Annual: Revision & Respond

Exhibit On View: June 17–August 22, 2021

Location: Newark Museum of Art,  49 Washington St, Newark, NJ

How did the pandemic, economic distress, and reckoning with racial injustice influence the artists? What emotions and perspectives do they express? How are they similar to or different from your personal experiences? We hope that these creative voices speak to you and offer a way to process the intense events of our current world.

Digital exhibition catalog here

Or make a reservation to see the show in person here

Be the Light 

Exhibit On View:  July 10, 2021 – August 22, 2021

Opening Reception: Saturday, July 10th 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm.

On Location: Bridge Art Gallery 199 Broadway, Bayonne NJ

Four structure, Vintage hat, shoes and bag, 3 ply cotton rope, pears, rhinestones, wrapped rope, yarn, trim, beading on steel structure

Fiber Arts X

On view: July 31 – September 12

Virtual Opening Reception or in person (To be confirmed): July 31, 1-3 pm 

On Location: SebArts 282 S. High St, Sebastopol, CA

Current Exhibitions

The Social Fabric: Black Artistry in Fiber Arts

See my out sized Wonder Woman tapestry at The Social Fabric: Black Artistry in Fiber Arts, an Exhibition in Homage to Viki Craig at the Morris Museum.

June 4, 2021 – October 24, 2021

Morris Museum: 6 Normandy Heights Road Morristown, NJ. The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11:00am-5:00pm daily.

Hiding In Plain Sight

Virtual solo show, Hiding In Plain Site launching on MoCADA  Thursday June 10, 2021 and runs through August 23, 2021.

Visit the virtual gallery HERE

Bottle caps, neon yellow 550 paracord, 200′ neon yellow camo 850 paracord, hollow braided polyurethane rope, solar LED rope lights, recycled Fresh Direct bag and commercial fishing net, zip ties, gold spray paint on recovered shopping cart. Photo by April Tracey

Virtual Tour of ReVision and Respond

How have the past few years of turbulence, isolation, unrest, and injustice affected artists?

Join me for a free Virtual Tour of ReVision and Respond, showing at the Newark Museum of Art on June 24

2021 New Jersey Arts Annual: ReVision and Respond

Exhibit On View: June 17–August 22, 2021

Plan your visit and make a reservation HERE

I will post the link to the online catalog when it is available

Wide Load

I started calling this cart Wide Load before I was even conscious of how much of my emotional baggage is tied to the food I eat.
Don’t even think of visiting my Mom without her feeding you and taking a plate home. I can still smell , vivid memories of Father punishing me for not finishing my dinner plate and reminding of the starving children in Africa at the same time. A double whammy of eat your food and feel guilty about eating your food. I could go on and on…

Bottle caps, neon yellow 550 paracord, 200′ neon yellow camo 850 paracord, hollow braided polyurethane rope, solar LED rope lights, recycled Fresh Direct bag and commercial fishing net, zip ties, gold spray paint on recovered shopping cart. Photo by April Tracey
Bottle caps, neon yellow 550 paracord, 200′ neon yellow camo 850 paracord, hollow braided polyurethane rope, solar LED rope lights, recycled Fresh Direct bag and commercial fishing net, zip ties, gold spray paint on recovered shopping cart. Photo by April Tracey