Weather Vane c. 1937

Editor: This is a study of a Weather Vane, dating from around 1937, by Edward L. Loper. It's rendered in pencil and watercolor, I think, with delicate lines… There's a quiet, architectural quality to the precision. What catches your eye most about this piece? Curator: Well, first, it makes me think of childhood…that distinct pleasure of watching weather vanes spin and change. Loper, it seems, captured not just its function but also a sense of nostalgia, a memory perhaps of a time when local schools were a central point of the community, literally and figuratively. The color palette evokes the gentle, faded hues of an old postcard. The “High School” direction and feather motifs also contribute to its interesting visual harmony… does this reading resonate with you? Editor: Yes, definitely. It’s interesting that he’s taken something functional and, well, mundane and elevated it to a subject worthy of artistic study. Why do you think he chose to use such muted colors, particularly those coppery tones? Curator: It could be about material honesty, right? Capturing the way copper weathers over time, gaining a rich patina… the marks of time etching themselves onto a man-made thing. Maybe, he aimed to capture how things carry not just the present moment, but also whispers of all they’ve been through. I wonder if this work makes us pause and rethink how things tell a silent narrative through art. What do you think? Editor: Absolutely. I’ll definitely think differently about weather vanes now. Curator: And hopefully, that's a credit to Edward Loper.