Weather Vane c. 1938

John B. Moll made this drawing of a weather vane at an unknown date with what looks like graphite and watercolour. It's a detailed rendering of a functional object, a bit rusty and weathered, and isolated against a plain background. I can imagine Moll carefully observing every curve and join. Maybe he felt a kinship with the maker of this object, celebrating this beautiful little machine for telling us which way the wind blows. I’m moved by the idea of Moll studying the vane and its various rusted parts, taking time to honor it with his attention. The drawing itself is linear, and very clean. You can imagine the artist carefully plotting the points and lines that would compose this object on the page. There's something comforting in the symmetry and precision of his approach. The heart, arrow, and star designs all speaking to me of how the world is full of signs. We look to the past not only to understand what happened, but to connect with those who came before us, feeling a sense of continuity and shared experience. I love to think of John B. Moll contributing to this ongoing conversation of creativity.