Weather Vane - Cock c. 1938

This is a drawing of a cock, or rather, a rooster weathervane, by Helen Hobart. Look at the way she's captured the light playing across the metal. I can almost hear the wind whistling through its tail. Hobart’s attention to detail is amazing. I wonder if she spent hours sketching it, carefully shading each line to give the rooster depth and dimension. It's a very sensitive and personal response. I can imagine her really looking, not just seeing, but feeling the form of the weathervane. Think about how the artist uses light and shadow to give the rooster its form. There's something tender in the way she's captured this everyday object. Her work reminds us that even the simplest things can be beautiful when seen through the eyes of an artist.