In this sculpture, I sought to capture the unity of form and spirit which is essential to T’ai Chi. The lower body is grounded, the arms willowy, suggesting how the movements follow circular paths. The entire body is strong, centered and focused.

Form and Spirit, as part of the Centered Women Series by Elaine Witten, was awarded The Manhattan Arts International, New York, NY, “Herstory 2004” Award of Excellence.

Artist’s Notes on the Centered Woman Series

Doing a series of sculptures entitled Centered Women was a natural for me for a number of reasons.
One is that the healing arts have been one of my life-long interests. I am, among other things, an RN, having studied anatomy and physiology and practiced nursing for years.
Also, as a young woman, I studied both ballet and modern dance, including master classes from José Limon. I grew up in a household with a sister who was a professional dancer.
Finally, I currently study and practice Iyengar yoga. The model I used for the Centered Women series has practiced yoga all of her adult life.
I studied T’ai Chi books and video tapes before beginning Form and Spirit and got insights from a critique of the work at an early stage by Rich Marantz, a T’ai Chi instructor in Manchester, VT.

The female form has been a universal theme in the history of sculpture. What I bring to the genre is a fresh approach, using the female figure in contemporary, yet timeless, dramatic, energetic and centered poses. These figures incorporate sculptural elements such as pure simplified forms, attention to silhouette and interesting use of negative spaces.

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