Carousel Horse 1940

This Carousel Horse was painted by John W. Kelleher, and it looks like it's done with gouache or maybe tempera, judging by the matte finish. You can see the hand of the artist so clearly in this piece. What’s so interesting here is the combination of flat color and texture. The body of the horse is white but has this mottled effect, suggesting the carved form underneath, where the saddle is all sharp, graphic shapes in red, yellow, and green. Then there's the mane and tail; look how each hair is carefully delineated with these confident brushstrokes, as if to make it lifelike and playful. I just want to reach out and touch it! It reminds me a bit of Milton Avery's simplified forms and flattened space, but with a folk art sensibility. It's not trying to trick you into thinking it's real; instead, it's embracing the beauty of artifice. Kelleher's work, like all good art, is a reminder that seeing is not just about looking but about imagining.