Long, 4 Pink Pearl Scarf by: Elaine Unzicker

Artwork Description

Artist Information

ARTIST STATEMENT
As a graduate student, sculpture fascinated me and I studied many different styles and
techniques. From sculpture, I learned about casting and developed a way to cast various
parts of plants into bronze, silver, or brass. I translated these plant parts into forms I
could use to decorate surfaces. I am attracted to particular plants for their texture and/or
simplicity.

Also, at this time, I became interested in medieval chain mail, the mesh that I currently
use. The fluid movement of the mesh allowed me to create art that caresses and
conforms to the body. And, the armor exhibit at The Art Institute of Chicago inspired me
to create wearable art of a larger scale.

After graduate school, I combined stainless chain mail with castings of plants to create
unique purses and wearable metalwork. I am fascinated by the way the mesh flows over
the body and how each person wears the article very differently. The metalwork
becomes a statement for the wearer and allows them to become what they feel at the
moment. It is as if the human body is my stage and the performance takes place when the
article is worn.

My purpose is to adorn the body with metalwork that enhances the wearer. Perhaps a
transformation takes places, an inner strength is gained, or the wearer lightens up as the
article is placed on their body. And, of course, art allows each of us to feel more
beautiful or special. So, if my art touches its audience in this way, I have completed my mission.