Man, I Feel Like a Woman
Jackie Braitman
Takoma Park, MC
2021
Marine mahogany
84″ x 73″ x 34″ x 6’ x 4’
— 36th Rosen Sculpture Map —
Photos by Chase Reynolds
Artist Comments
Based on the music of Shania Twain, this piece celebrates everyday superwomen. As with all the pieces in this series, the work started with a 24” high wax model of the figure — just the figure not including any clothing or hair. The model is then digitized. The digital mesh file is then manipulated — scaled, clothing and hair added, abstracted, and sliced. The slats that compose the figure emphasize the motion of the figure. The fabrication includes use of a CNC machine — essentially a computerized router.
The piece took approximately 8 weeks of full-time effort to produce. It is fully water-resistant. The wood is marine-grade Okoume Mahogany Plywood — wood that’s usually used for boat-building. All glues and screws are fully water resistant.
Listen to the inspiration: I urge you to play the song and scroll through the images or watch the video (sound off). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR11OML1mtM&t
About the Artist
I’m a full-time sculptor – Using Material, Scale & Abstraction to Explore the Human Female Body in Motion. I’m enthralled by the power and grace of the human body in motion — and completely absorbed by the challenge of capturing that essence in a static sculpture. As is obvious from my work, what drives me is the idea and not a medium or style. In fact, experimenting with material, scale and form is what helps me in this exploration.
Sculpture is completely integrated in my life. The studio takes up the entire first floor of my bungalow in historic Takoma Park, MD. I work with the doors open and welcome the constant pedestrian traffic of neighbors. The lower and upper levels — award-winning, much-toured spaces — are light-filled, private havens with purpose-built indoor/outdoor spaces. These spaces are remnants of my previous design/remodeling practice which I ran for over 15 years.
I think of my current focus on fine-art sculpture as Act 7. Previous acts included the design/remodeling practice mentioned, above, software development, corporate management, policy research, and public service. While these might seem quite disparate, the common thread is my nature as an agent of change. When I was younger, I welcomed the challenge of improving the performance of organizations. As I got a bit older, I welcomed the challenge of improving the lives of homeowners. Now, I’m pursuing a more selfish challenge to explore my life-long attraction to the beauty and power of the human form in motion.
My formal education formed a way of looking at and working within the world that has greatly influenced my art and design. Ph.D., Decision Analysis, The Rand Graduate School, Santa Monica, CA, 1983. B.A., Government, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 1974.
For more information: https://www.jackiebraitman.com/