Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, September 21, 1951

Sept. 21 –

To Zimmerman Rd painting –

A glorious day packed full of delightful impressions from beginning to end.

Parked at the open fields to the north of the main woods. The moment I landed, I felt at once that it was a special day – brilliant sun, hot dry wind from the southwest blowing of the meadows of bleached grass, asters and golden-rod.

I decided to do a piece featuring the asters and dry grass – almost from the first, the picture took the lead and I had to follow as best I could – and it was difficult to invent rapidly enough the semi-abstract conventionalizations that the power and beauty of the wind, sunlight and sky demanded, worked until 3:00.

Near the end of my effort, a man in a car stopped and asked permission to look – He was so sincerely courteous in his request (few make it, and most of those who do, say it in a manner that says plainly – “I’ll look anyway, whether you give me permission or not”) that I readily assented. He obviously did not understand what I was doing, but again, the questions he asked were not flavored with, “you must be crazy, not I” but seemed to spring from a genuine desire to know. He asked other questions too that were none of his business, but in honest ignorance, not prying – for example he asked the usual questions “How much would you get for a picture like that” – when I told him $1200 or $1500 – he made no comment. I told him when he chanced to be in Buffalo & had time, to look up my butterfly picture at the Albright Gallery. When he left, we shook hands & said he was glad to have met me – (He was George Peters, of Cherry Creek, works for “Carnation Milk”)

First I spread a blanket beside the car and lay down to rest – it was pleasant to look straight into the zenith and watch flaky white clouds float across the deep blue – the music of wind in the weeds all about me – Then I ate my lunch, which I enjoyed a lot.

Then for a walk eastward – thru – the deep grass and other plants – A pair of “blue” butterflies joined to-gether, alighted on my hand, and stayed there for a long time – What dainty little creatures! Walking thru a patch of lesser cinquefoil – the odd sensation produced by the sound and feel of my feet breaking thru their hoary stems. – The view out over the Boston Valley – Head of cattle on the extreme edge of the thin strip of woods that extends up the road. – A pleasant woods, with little underbrush. I walked back thru it.

Altho I had virtually decided on my second subject, I took another walk down the road in the late afternoon sunlight toward the main woods. Dying ferns a rich burnt sienna.

Altho the subject I had decided to paint was a “twilight” one (deep woods with crickets chirping in long dead grass in front) I know I would have to start it long before sunset. Still tired from my morning’s effort & the walk, I again stretched out a blanket and rested a while. Then I set up my easel and started work. Painted until after the sun had disappeared, with great enthusiasm.

Altho it was rapidly growing dark, I nevertheless could not bear the thought of eating my lunch in the car. So I set my “table” on the rock by the road and ate, barely able to see what I was eating. The warmth of the day and beauty scarcely abated – the woods to the north & east full of deep mystery & charm.

On the way home several spots where the katydids were in full “song” – especially on the hill road leading up to Chestnut Ridge from the valley – They lent mystery and ominous overtures to the deep-shadowed ravines.

Charles E. Burchfield, Journal September 21, 1951