Theda Sandiford

Artist Statement

My studio practice is a living laboratory, a dialogue between land, sea, and memory. I gather whispers from the wind, stories from tides, and wisdom from the soil, transforming seed pods, marine debris, and plant fibers through weaving, looping, knotting and beading. Rooted in sustainability, I craft cordage from organic and manmade materials found during my daily walks. My work merges gardening, foraging, assemblage, film, sound, and printmaking into site-specific explorations of African diasporic knowledge and trauma within landscapes scarred by colonial and environmental histories. These wounds, buried beneath roots and waves, demand acknowledgment. Through my art, I reclaim lost stories, honor sacred spaces, and invite viewers to witness, remember, and engage in collective healing. Together, we weave resilience into a reimagined future.