Weather Vane 1935 - 1942

Mildred Bent's 'Weather Vane' is a watercolour rendering a sculpture of a figure blowing a horn. I imagine Bent studying the wooden structure in the open air, how the light would have shifted across its surface as she worked. Look at the shades of brown, soft and gentle. The paint is applied thinly, almost like a stain, allowing the paper's surface to breathe. It gives the whole image a feeling of lightness, which is perfect for something meant to capture the wind. I think about how the simplified geometric forms of the sculpture are translated into the painted image. The painting feels so grounded and real, and the figure looks almost futuristic! Bent is showing us how to really look at things, how to see the world in a way that is both concrete and dreamlike. It's like she's saying, "Hey, let's pay attention, let's really see what's around us, and let's find the magic in it."