Dragon Weather Vane 1935 - 1942

This is Dorothy Hay Jensen’s "Dragon Weather Vane," and it's made of wood, and really shows its grain. It's like she’s letting the material be itself, you know? I love how the wood grain becomes the texture of the dragon’s scales. It’s not just a flat surface, but something that feels alive, almost breathing. This piece reminds me that art-making is about responding to materials, not just imposing ideas. Look at the head of the dragon. See how the wood seems to swirl and curve, giving it a sense of movement? The dragon is fierce. There is an elegant simplicity to the design that makes it incredibly powerful. It reminds me of some of the early American folk art I’ve seen. There’s a similar spirit of inventiveness and a directness of expression. Art's an ongoing conversation. It is never really finished, only paused.