JACKIE L. BRAITMAN
Summary
Sculptor, using material, scale and abstraction to explore the female form in motion. Since 2020, sculpture has been my full-time focus. For the prior 15 years, I built a design/build practice that integrated sculpture, landscape design, and architectural design. As a licensed general contractor, I could take projects from conception to completion – ensuring projects achieved their vision and came in on- budget and in-schedule. My average project was approximately $350,000 but projects ranged in size from $100,000 to $1,000,000. I designed, fabricated, and executed all phases of work. Sculptural work, during this time, was a mix of commissioned work and stand-alone fine art. Prior to 2004, I worked in unrelated fields.
Artist Statement
There are moments in every dance where the dancer is off-balance but because of the attitude of the body, we know, intuitively, what the follow-through must be. I want to capture the inevitability of fluid motion in a static sculpture. I use material, scale, and abstraction to explore the female body in motion.
My current series – the Momentum Series – uses a mix of abstract and realistic elements within the same sculpture to explore the geometry of motion and attitude. These sculptures are each life-size or slightly larger with inspiration drawn from the music of empowerment anthems. The series – in wood or steel – celebrates everyday superwomen.
My process encompasses a strong digital component. The work starts with a hand sculpted 24” wax model of the figure. In sculpting the wax, I am most interested in the body attitude. Sometimes I mold the wax for casting. More frequently, I digitize the figure and do extensive digital manipulation including dicing and splicing. Fabrication involves a mix of machine fabrication (e.g., a CNC router or laser cutting of metal) and hand assembly and finishing.
The process allows me to work in a variety of media and scales. While my most recent series is life-size, other work is tabletop or monumental in scale. I have recent work in wood, steel, cast bronze, cast plaster, and concrete. Previously I worked in glass.
Sculpture Commissions 2014 to Present
$690,000 Public Art: Memorial to Chuck Brown “Godfather of Go-Go” Washington, DC
Price included “mini-park” with concrete sitting walls and landscaping.
$175,000 Private Commission – Sculptural Landscape, Takoma Park, MD
$75,000 Commercial/Public Art: Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church, Bethesda, MD.
$75,000 Commercial/Public Art: Suspended Sculpture for Space Research Company
$65,000 Private Commission – Light Sculpture; Bethesda, MD
$28,000 Private Commission – Steel Dancers for Private Garden, Potomac, MD.
$45,000 Private Commission – Steel & Recycled Glass Wall Sculpture, Silver Spring, MD
$25,000 Private Commission – Aluminum dancer sculpture, Washington, DC.
$15,000 Commercial/Public Art: Steel, Concrete & Glass Lobby Sculpture
Solo Sculpture Exhibitions 2014 to Present
Let’s Dance, Zenith Gallery 1111 Pennsylvania Ave, NW August 3- November 21, 2021
Zenith Gallery, Washington, DC
Red Sky Gallery, Charlotte, NC
Edgewood Orchard Gallery, Fish Creek, WI
Morgan Contemporary, Pittsburgh, PA
Bender Gallery, Ashville, NC
Zenith Gallery, Washington, DC
Chroma Projects, Charlottesville, VA
120 Park Avenue, Takoma Park, MD
Black Rock Center, Germantown, MD
Glenview Mansion Art Gallery, Rockville, MD
Collections
Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church
Bethesda Jewish Congregation
Perkins Cole, Washington, DC
Perkins Cole, Portland Oregon
The Thomas Group, Laguna Beach, CA
Sigma Space, Langley Park, MD
Pilchuck Glass School, Seattle, WA
Cobb Law Offices, Silver Spring, MD
Private Residences in cities including: Annapolis, MD, Bangkok, Thailand, Bethesda, MD, Charlotte, NC, Chicago, IL, Cincinnati, OH, Columbus, OH, Dallas, Texas, Detroit, OH, Dubai, UAE, Gaithersburg, MD, Houston, Texas, Kansas City, MO, New York City, NY, Oakland, CA, Richmond, VA, San Diego, CA, Seattle WA, Sheboygan, MI, Silver Spring, MD, South Laguna, California, Saint Martin, Caribbean, Takoma Park, MD, Washington, DC
Gallery Representation
Edgewood Orchard Galleries, Fish Creek, WI
Kittrell-Riffkind Gallery, Dallas, TX
Zenith Gallery, Washington, DC
Singulart, Paris France
Awards/Recognition
2010: Art Glass Today, Schiffer Publishing, 6-page artist feature.
2009: “Artist Searching for the Intersection of motion, emotion” Claudia Rousseau, The Gazette Newspapers.
2008: “Sculpting a Home”, American Style Magazine, April 2008; Feature article on Braitman’s work.
2008: Winner: Niche Award for Fused Glass, Sponsored by Niche Magazine.
2006: Art McMurdie Architectural Award, Takoma Park, MD 20912
2006: Finalist, E-Merge – Biennial Showcase of Rising Talents in Kiln Glass, Portland OR
2004: Finalist, E-Merge – Biennial Showcase of Rising Talents in Kiln Glass, Portland OR
Education
PhD, Decision Analysis, The Rand Graduate School. Formal education and work experience in engineering project and program management prepared me for the demanding technical requirements and interdisciplinary coordination inherent in public and architectural installations and for the mixed digital and physical design and fabrication of my current work. Art and Design is largely self-taught with a smattering of workshops with glass and metal masters.
