We look forward to welcoming Theda Sandiford back to the conference with a new interactive exhibit in the Marketplace
Emotional Baggage Cart Parade
Join artist Theda Sandiford in a dynamic, hands-on public art experience centered around her Emotional Baggage Cart series. Through an open dialogue, Theda will share the inspiration behind the project and explore the emotional weight we all carry.
We all carry emotional baggage, though it manifests uniquely for each of us. How we choose to navigate this burden shapes our journey. We can either allow it to define us or actively release it as an act of resistance and renewal. The “Emotional Baggage Cart Parade” is a visual and interactive metaphor for the emotional baggage we all accumulate, and it aims to create transformative experiences in a public space.
Theda invites you to reflect inward, recognize the emotional weight you may be holding, and engage in the liberating process of letting it go. By addressing the often-invisible burdens people carry, this project seeks to foster empathy, awareness, and community support, reminding participants that they are not alone in their struggles. Through the act of symbolic disposal and creative expression, the project provides a tangible outlet for emotional release and communal healing.
Public Art Project: Emotional Baggage Cart – Unburden, Weave, Connect, Heal
Community members are invited to weave directly onto a full-size shopping cart using a variety of provided materials—or bring personal objects to incorporate, making the piece uniquely meaningful. This collaborative process encourages reflection, healing, and connection, allowing participants to contribute to a collective artwork that symbolizes the shared journey of managing emotional burdens.
Together, we will transform individual stories into a powerful public sculpture, fostering community, empathy, and artistic expression.
All images ©April Tracey – click images to enlarge
Mini Emotional Baggage Cart Exhibition
The exhibition features 20-30 mini shopping carts adorned with various materials such as ribbons, fabric, yarn, recycled objects, and found materials creating visually striking designs. Visitors are encouraged to touch the carts to symbolically release their emotional burdens, stresses, or personal challenges.
All images ©April Tracey – click images to enlarge
About Theda:
Theda Sandiford is a celebrated interdisciplinary artist recognized for her innovative approach to fiber and installation art. Based in St. Croix, USVI, her work explores themes of racial trauma and collective memory through techniques like weaving, coiling, and knotting, often incorporating found materials and community contributions. These elements form what she calls “social fabric,” weaving contemporary issues with deeply personal narratives into dynamic, interconnected stories.
Sandiford’s artistic practice is deeply rooted in community engagement. She facilitates inclusive, collaborative experiences that merge the site specific environments and art-making, fostering dialogue around equity, inclusion, sustainability, and personal well-being. These gatherings emphasize the transformative power of creativity and collective action.
Her work has been showcased globally, with pieces in the permanent collections of the Guggenheim Museum and the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum. She has exhibited at renowned venues, including World of Threads, Expo Chicago, Untitled Art Fair, SPRING/BREAK Art Show, and the American Contemporary Craft National Juried Exhibition. Her accolades include Excellence in Fibers VI and Fiber VIII recognition by Fiber Art Now, the 2020 Jersey City Arts Visual Artist Award, the 2021 New Jersey State Council on the Arts Fellowship in Craft, and the 2022 Jersey City Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship. A 2023-24 National Leaders of Color Fellow, Sandiford continues to create art that bridges personal experience and collective narratives while fostering meaningful connections across communities.
Visit Theda’s website at thedasandiford.com/, and find her on Instagram @misstheda.