Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967), The Three Trees, 1931-46; watercolor on paper, 36 x 60 inches; Salem Public Library, Gift of Miss Alice MacMillan in memory of her father Joel, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the MacMillan Book Shop
Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, June 14, 1915
Tuesday, Jun 14, 2022
Brilliant Morning – windblown clouds appear and go by all day –
Evening To Three Trees to see sunset – red-orange glow in a stormy sky – As I watched a wonderful thing happened – As I sketched, ideas for paintings slowly evolved in my mind until all at once I realized the power of the whole thing – I saw an idea that was so strange & powerful that I was overwhelmed – almost unconsciously I lay down in the grass, flat on my back, where I remained regardless of time, going over & over again the vision & dreaming of the wonderful things I was to create. So tense was I that I never moved – and almost before I knew it, darkness had fallen – I had lain about an hour yet it seemed but a few minutes – Afterwards as I walked homeward, I had a feeling of exhaustion –
Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, June 14, 1915