Young Duck 1909 - 1923

This is Harry Dickinson Thrasher's bronze 'Young Duck' sculpture. Imagine Thrasher in his studio, feeling the cool, malleable clay between his fingers, coaxing the duck's form into being. It’s not just a duck; it's an idea of a duck, a feeling of duck-ness! It is perky yet dignified, it seems like it's about to say something. There is a quiet elegance to the way the neck arcs, which reminds me of Brancusi's 'Bird in Space'. You can almost sense the push and pull of Thrasher's hands, the building up and the taking away, the artist's conversation with the form. And it's a conversation that continues with us, as we bring our own experiences and thoughts to the work. All us artists are in an ongoing dialogue; we see something, we riff on it, and then someone else picks up the thread. It's a beautiful, messy, never-ending process. And that's what makes art so endlessly fascinating.