Carl H. Lind

On the recommendation of Henry Keller, his art school mentor, Burchfield moved to Buffalo in 1921 to work for the M. H. Birge & Sons Company, one of the nation's most prominent and artistic wallpaper companies.  He began as assistant to the head designer, Edward B. Sides, and developed different color schemes (known as color ways) for wallpaper patterns.  He soon earned the freedom to design wallpapers himself. Scoffing at traditional, predictable patterns, Burchfield instead derived asymmetrical, natural designs from his earlier watercolors. He was eventually promoted to head of the design department, and, beginning in 1927, his name was printed in the selvage of his wallpaper designs. He worked at the Birge Company until August 1929.