Elaine Unzicker
Artist Statement
Stainless chainmail, the material Elaine Unzicker primarily works with, is constantly flowing from her fingertips, oftentimes slinking off the bench into
a pile on the floor. The movement of the sliding metal called her to work with the human form. To create with the idea that the art would not be static, but continue to evolve on the body. She treats wearable art as a form of moving sculpture with each piece taking on the personality of the wearer. With this in mind, she focuses on the 3-dimensional aspects of the form in process. Alone in her studio, she envisions the body shape the piece would adorn; frequently trying it on herself to see its swirling energy. She constructs one-of-a-kind dresses and jewelry in addition to limited
edition art for the body assuming the piece will discover its rightful owner in its time. She treasures commissions as the aspect of the person’s spirit flows through her art when worn. What she does is respond to the individual in front of her. Each moment is anew. To find out more about her creative
journey take a look at this video by Public Media Network which documents the process involved in designing seven garments for the Wellspring Dancers as part of the “Precision & Freedom” project with support provided by the Kalamazoo Artistic Development Initiative, a program of the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo.
Venues
