Cow Weather Vane c. 1938

Beverly Chichester made this 'Cow Weather Vane' using watercolour, and maybe some gouache, at an unknown date. The brown washes feel so loose, so improvised, that you get the sense of a painter really in tune with the fluidity of their medium. I am interested in the way the paint's surface is uneven. The marks aren't blended perfectly, allowing the paper's texture to show through. The colors are not uniform, varying from pale yellows to deep browns, creating depth and complexity. It's like the cow has stories to tell, all written in the language of color and texture. Look at the highlights and shadows on the cow’s body, creating a sense of volume and form. It looks like she painted it quickly, trusting her hand, letting the imperfections become part of the artwork. This cow reminds me of some of Fairfield Porter's paintings, in their embrace of the everyday and the intimate. Both artists found beauty in the mundane, elevating ordinary scenes to something extraordinary. Art's not about perfection, but about the ongoing conversation, the exchange of ideas, and the beautiful ambiguities that arise along the way.