Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967), Approaching Storm, 1942; watercolor on paper, 28 x 22 inches; Image from the Burchfield Penney Art Center Archives
Aug 23 (Sunday) -
I achieved just enough in my sketch yesterday to tease my mind, and make me want to go down again and make some check-up studies.
I had panned to take Bertha, and Arthur if he wished to go (B had told me that last night he had asked her if she though I would let him go along sometime when I was out painting) But Mary Alice bring at work, Sally + Catherine planning to visit Martha who was working at Onetto's Lunch Room at Transit and Clinton, - someone had to stay with the dog, so Bertha insisted that I take Arthur only.
While I made studies, Art explored the woods to the west; then afterwards we both explored the woods to the east. - The tree struck by lightening; the bog-like pasture; everlasting; the cardinal flowers - lichen; - a delightful woods altogether.
We drove down thru Glenwood, and up a hill to the west to a point overlooking the Boston Valley, and parked by the road to eat out lunch. A great dark isolated fleet of clouds had assembled in the western sky, blotting out the sun. For a long time it seemed to be motionless, with the yellow strip low on the western horizon, always the same width. But as we watched sunlight began to spread out over a distant wooded ridge; it had the quality of dust - Presently we realized that rain was falling and sun-lit, was a rich golden color - The effects changed rapidly and multiplied so that it was impossible to follow them all - To the north, a heavy golden brown shower was traveling eastward rapidly - to the south the sky was cold, with no sign of sunlight.
Now a soft roar commenced in the valley to the northwest gradually increasing in volume. Arthur could hardly believe me when I told him it was rain, and seemed to marvel that it eventually proved so, and I though to myself how all my youngsters have been deprived of the experience of common natural events; but perhaps the memory of such an event will linger with him longer for experience it in just the way he did.
After the shower had passed, we stepped out of the car; the scene to the east was almost supernaturally magnificent and beautiful - At the north-east-east, a gorgeous fragment of a rain-bow grew out of a luxuriant field of corn, in front of which was an oat field, the sky beyond rich blue black, topped with flaming orange salmon-pink clouds; - to the south of this, the whole lower sky, untouched by sunlight, was deep tones of cold deep blues, rich ultramarine with deep indigo clouds; the whole then topped by the same flaming orange rounded clouds; (in the midst of the orange clouds was one bluish white cloud) - The clear sky then, above the orange clouds was a rich deep cobalt or azure blue, as is seldom seen. The whole spectacle was one to be enjoyed as one eats a delicious candy - I felt little impulse or desire to paint, it was just to be "devoured" with the eye as a confection.
The whole effect faded abruptly; but once, on the way home on the high table land over which runs the Cole Road, we saw the rich crimson sun momentarily thru a slit in the clouds, and later then, for a long time, the whole sky low in the northwest, was rich red orange, as of a vast fire, long after it was dark elsewhere.
Charles E. Burchfield, August 23, 1942