Weather Vane Peacock c. 1939

Editor: Here we have Selma Sandler's "Weather Vane Peacock," created around 1939, using pencil, colored pencil, and watercolor. I find the texture quite intriguing – it looks almost metallic, yet delicate at the same time. What's your interpretation of this piece? Curator: Oh, it's such a quirky, almost fantastical thing, isn't it? Immediately, I think about the whimsy of folk art. It's a reminder that art doesn't always have to be "high art"— sometimes, it’s the everyday objects given an artful twist. Look at the way she's rendered the light on the metal, giving it a sheen with watercolor! It’s as if Sandler is winking at us, saying, "Even the mundane can be beautiful!" Editor: I hadn't thought of the folk art connection, but that makes sense. Do you think she was making a direct copy or interpreting the actual weather vane? Curator: That's the magic, isn't it? It’s probably both! She saw something in that functional object—the lines, the form—that resonated with her artistic eye. I can almost feel the wind blowing across the rooftop where this peacock once proudly stood! She wasn't just copying; she was conjuring. Do you get a sense of that quiet transformation, too? Editor: I do now! Thinking about it, it does have this grounding, observational feel to it, mixed with personal feeling. Curator: Exactly! And that, my friend, is where the art happens. Sandler took something ordinary and transformed it into a moment, a feeling, a flight of fancy on paper. I am really loving it. What a beautiful, layered perspective it adds! Editor: That's given me a whole new appreciation for how everyday objects can be viewed through the lens of art. Thanks for that.