Rocking Horse, wood, paint, yarn, fabric, and found rocking chair. Inspired by Civil War-era paper dolls in the collections of the Library Company of Philadelphia.

I have always liked rocking horses, which began to peak in popularity in the 1850s. They, like many toys, seem to prepare a child for real-life activities, like horseback riding. Civil War-era paper soldiers depicted on horses, some of the first collection materials I reviewed at the Library Company, aptly inspired this first work in my timeline. To construct this piece, I took an old, swirly rocking chair and disassembled it. The deconstructed chair forms the horse’s body and legs, while the seat and head are of my own design. The scale and the stylized body of this sculpture make it a personal favorite from the series.