Weather Vane c. 1940

Roger Deats made this "Weather Vane" sometime in the 20th century. I imagine him turning this piece around in his hands, figuring out how to capture that windy, whimsical feeling with his tools. It's all about balance and movement, isn't it? The way the figure—almost like a little queen, standing on her fish—catches the wind and tells you which way it's blowing. You can see the marks of the maker’s hand so clearly. The surface is alive with the wood’s grain. It makes me think about folk art traditions— where art isn't separate from life, but woven right into it. This piece has a simple beauty. It makes you wonder about all the other artists and makers out there, building on each other’s ideas, generation after generation. It's like a conversation that never ends.