Toy Rooster 1935 - 1942

Elmer R. Kottcamp made this sweet watercolor of a ‘Toy Rooster’ at some point during his lifetime, and just look at the delicacy of the washes! It’s so clear he knew exactly what he was doing. The way he’s rendered the texture of the rooster’s feathers with such short, careful strokes gives the whole thing a kind of tactile quality, doesn't it? The paint is thin, almost translucent, letting the paper breathe. But then, in contrast, those dark accents under the neck, so decisive! It's all about the physical act of applying pigment, the push and pull of color and form. Check out the base of the rooster: Kottcamp has depicted the chicken’s feet painted crudely on the top of the stand. The feet are so flat and awkward that this suggests a kind of folk art simplicity. I am thinking of Bill Traylor, he also looked to simple subjects and forms in his work. Like Traylor, Kottcamp isn't just painting; he's inviting us to see the world through his eyes, with all its quirks and charms.