Cedar Cross c. 1937

Majel G. Claflin made this Cedar Cross watercolor painting. The color is muted and subtle, built up in transparent washes. I can almost see her at her desk, tilting the paper one way then the other, letting the pigment pool and dry, coaxing the image into being. The cross is rendered in great detail, decorated with carved designs. The paint is thin, like a veil, allowing the whiteness of the paper to glow through. I can imagine Majel really looking closely at the object and trying to capture its essence. The circular motifs resonate, creating a hypnotic rhythm. It reminds me of the work of Agnes Martin – the repetition, the subtle variations, the quiet intensity. Artists like Claflin and Martin aren't just depicting what they see, but also inviting us to contemplate, to meditate, to find our own meaning in the work. They give us a space to think and feel. Painting allows us to do that.