Carousel Dog c. 1939

This is a watercolor painting of a carousel dog by Dorothy Handy. I imagine Dorothy, brush in hand, carefully layering these diluted colors on paper. The grey paint is almost metallic, giving the dog a sculptural, almost steel-like presence. The original carousel animal was six feet long and I can imagine the intense concentration required to capture this playful figure on a smaller scale. Just look at how she’s handled the dog’s musculature! The way she captured light and shadow makes it seem almost alive, ready to leap off the page. The muted palette gives it a vintage feel, connecting it to folk art traditions. Dorothy’s painting reminds us that art is an ongoing conversation. She's in dialogue with both the carousel maker and the viewer. It's like she’s saying, "Here's my version, what do you see?" And that's the beauty of art, isn't it? It’s never really finished, always open to interpretation.