Weather vanes: Exhibit looks at artworks with a purpose

By KIM COOK
Associated Press

Weather vanes were invented for one important job — to tell which way the wind was blowing. Gradually however they have become appreciated as an art form. A new exhibition at the American Folk Art Museum in New York showcases the history, technical virtuosity and artistic beauty of weather vanes made between the late 18th and early 20th centuries. The free exhibit runs through Jan. 2. It includes weather vanes with the ubiquitous rooster but also ones depicting shorebirds, dogs, airplanes, sports, sea serpents and more. Many people still like to put a weather vane on the roof as a decorative element.