Carved and Painted Santo - San Jose c. 1938

Majel G. Claflin made this painted study of a carved Santo - San Jose, but we don't know exactly when. The whole thing has a beautiful, soft focus because of the watercolor. It’s really about the process, how Claflin is seeing and interpreting the original object. I love the way the red robe contrasts with the flat cream background, and how the brushstrokes blend together. The paint isn't trying to trick you; it's thin, like it’s been built up in layers. The artist makes no attempt to disguise the process of image making. Look at the way the light glances off the red robe, how there are almost no hard lines. It’s like the whole figure is rendered in these gentle gradations of light and dark, like the artist is caressing the figure with light. This reminds me of Milton Avery, in the way the artist uses color and form to create a mood. And, like Avery, Claflin shows us how art is all about seeing, feeling, and translating those experiences onto a surface. It’s not about perfection, it’s about conversation.