Weather Vane: Rooster c. 1939

Marian Page made this painting of a rooster weathervane, but when I don't know, and that's okay. I love the monochromatic feel – shades of metallic gold and cream. I imagine Page standing before the original weathervane, studying its form and texture. What does that mean for a painter to look and then to try to imagine and re-present? There's a subtle dance here between observation and interpretation. The rooster’s form, captured in such detail, seems to embody a history of use, exposed to the elements and turning in the wind. Its surface is worn, aged— a record of its existence. This work reminds me of some modernist painters I love such as Stuart Davis and Marsden Hartley, both of whom painted folk art in very innovative ways. Here, Page takes a piece of Americana and, through her rendering, invites us to consider it anew. It’s more than just a rooster; it’s a symbol, a piece of history, and a testament to the beauty found in the everyday. Artists like Page invite a constant dialogue between the past and present.