Theda Sandiford

Lives and works in USVI

Artist statement

My studio is a living, breathing laboratory—an evolving conversation between land, sea, and memory. I immerse myself in the rhythms of place, gathering whispers from the wind, stories from the tides, and wisdom embedded in the soil. Foraging seed pods, salvaging marine debris, and harvesting my own plant fibers, I transform these materials through weaving, knotting, and eco-dyeing, breathing new life into what is often discarded. Rooted in sustainability, my hands shape cordage from yucca leaves, press paper from banana fibers, and coax color from lichen, turmeric, and avocado skins. Each piece carries the imprint of its origin, a fusion of natural alchemy and ancestral echoes. My work is an unfolding tapestry—gardening, foraging, assemblage, moving image, sound, installation, and printmaking interwoven into site-specific explorations. I navigate the layers of African diasporic knowledge and trauma held within landscapes scarred by colonial and environmental histories. These wounds, hidden beneath roots and waves, beg to be acknowledged, unearthed, and honored. Through my art, I engage in a dialogue with the past and present, where lost stories are reclaimed, and sacred spaces find new life. I invite viewers to witness, to remember, and to participate in a collective act of healing. Together, we unravel threads of resilience, weaving them into a future reimagined.

Artwork