Immaculate Conception 1935 - 1942

Majel G. Claflin made this watercolour, "Immaculate Conception," capturing a wooden sculpture with a gentle hand. The colours are muted, almost reverent, letting the form and texture of the wood speak. It's like Claflin wasn't just copying but listening to the object. The paint is thin, washy, allowing the paper to breathe underneath. See how the cracks in the wood are rendered, not just as lines, but as shadows, as moments where the light dips and plays. It's a loving observation. Notice the hands, clasped in prayer. They are slightly out of proportion, a bit too large, maybe, but that adds to the sculpture’s naive charm. It reminds me of other self-taught or folk artists who find beauty in simplicity, in the directness of expression. Claflin wasn’t trying to be slick, she's trying to capture something real. The painting feels like a quiet conversation, an invitation to see the sacred in the everyday.