Large Monumental Kathy Whitman "Elk Woman" Carved Alabaster Totemic Sculpture, 1994

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Description

This magnificent, monumental masterwork is a hand-carved alabaster stone sculpture by the highly celebrated, award-winning Native American artist Kathy Whitman … Read more This magnificent, monumental masterwork is a hand-carved alabaster stone sculpture by the highly celebrated, award-winning Native American artist Kathy Whitman (Elk Woman). Standing an impressive 31 inches tall and weighing a substantial 104 lbs, this rare, large-scale piece showcases the artist's signature ability to weave representational storytelling with flowing, fluid stone abstraction.

The front features a striking, dual-textured face of a Native American elder wearing a magnificent grizzly bear headdress, transitioning beautifully from smooth, polished stone into deep, raw chiseling. The Sides and Reverse exhibit the fluid waves of white and olive-tinted alabaster and reveal a hidden female figure nestled within the curves, a hand-engraved hand drum accented with eagle feathers, and a series of detailed petroglyph-style animal glyphs—including a grizzly bear, rushing buffalo, and spirited wild horses. This breathtaking, multi-dimensional sculpture rests safely upon its original custom-beveled hardwood pedestal base. It is hand-signed by the artist on the lower reverse edge with her name, "Elk Woman," her signature feather pictogram, and the copyright date '94.

About the Artist:
Born on the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota, Kathy Whitman is an enrolled member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation. She received her spirit name, Elk Woman, during a sacred Sun Dance Ceremony in 1977. A premier contemporary sculptor and consistent top award-winner at the prestigious Santa Fe Indian Market, her works are highly sought after by private collectors, galleries, and museums worldwide. See less