Charles E. Burchfield, from an Untitled folder in the Charles E. Burchfield Foundation Archives, circa 1917

Feeling – chaos is let loose – trees are angular huge fearful masses wind-torn – as if the earth were rising out of itself – houses, snowspattered, are remote & frightened – they are fragmentary for by peculiar lighting sky and snow become one color – all the power of North is rushing thru the land – do not organize design or paint pattern – paint the sweeping of snow, the agony of the trees, the roar & rush of wind; the burst of sunlight; the far remoteness of houses, the small town feeling – in looking at the sun we do not see trees clearly defined; give an elusiveness to objects which is both yearning & aggravating – is a feeling of continuous raw & clash – we don’t know where to look
Charles E. Burchfield, circa 1917