Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

– – – – – When he is creating, the artist must have calm in this sense, creative activity is always objective – – – – and those are mistaken who believe the artist can use his talent to relieve himself of specific feelings of the moment – the sad or happy emotions which he expresses are always and invariably retrospective – – – – – in brief, the artist lives a double life, an everyday human one, and an artistic one, and these two lives do not always coincide. ; x x x x x x x x x x– – – – For commissioned work one must sometimes create one’s own inspiration. Very often one must first conquer laziness and lack of inclination – – – – but I believe it is the duty of an artist never to submit, because laziness is a strong human trait, and nothing is more harmful to an artist than to let laziness get the better of him. One cannot afford to sit waiting for inspiration; she is a guest that does not visit the lazy – but comes to those who call; ; (Tchaikovsky in a letter to his “Dearly Beloved” –) ; Monday to see “On Borrowed Time” which I liked so well, I must take Bertha yesterday to see it, and I enjoyed it as much again. This is a beautiful movie – without a