December 8, 1939
graphite pencil on unlined paper
9 1/2 x 11 3/8 inches
Burchfield Penney Art Center courtesy of the Charles E. Burchfield Foundation, 2000
that wherever I fail the discouragement is not only mine, but falls even more heavily on someone I honor as an artist and cherish as a friend – and I’m sure he always feels the fault is all mine – when sometimes that isn’t all true. So thank you from the bottom of my heart for that reverent letter – and don’t you dare let any of these youngsters call us other than ; ; ; ; Peggy & Frank.; P.S. I’m sure there will be some more good news when things start up in 1940; and in the meantime here’s a little ink & paper. ; ; Incidentally Grace Root wants me to find out just what courses of study Sara Mary (Mary Alice) is most interested in taking in order to see what college would be best for her, why don’t you drop her a line, saying I had written you? ; ; ; ; ; ; F.R.; The “ink & paper” was a check for $1100 - and how welcome it is at this time.; [Depressing news that Ernest Larson had “drowned” in the ocean at Miami, “Possibly from heart attack” He no doubt committed suicide; he had been ill for several years, and the art public had forgotten his existence. (His work based on the Impressionist school, interest in which has declined due to the rise & decline of a dozen “isms” since its prime). A cold fury fills me when I think of the callous manner in which fine artists are allowed to slowly starve to death – all the bother & talk there is of art in America and all the useless exhibitions – yet few are willing to do the only thing that will help an