Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

30.                                                                   Feb. 7 (Saturday)

My season of inability to get down to really creative work continues –

     One day – a sketch from Bengert’s back lot, of the Studio, the (CD), Cottrell’s + our houses. – a sketch that had just enough good in it, to make it irritating that it was not better. It was somewhat light – I could not let myself go.

     Fill in the time with mounting old picture. The “Lake Freighter in Winter” of 1924, seems to me to have so much value in it I expand it from 25 x 18 to 28 x 40 – planning to introduce new elements. The hardest job of remounting I have tackled is that of tempera on brown paper, which had been mounted on a book binders’ board, as counter-backing for a piece of Beaux Arts Paper. At the time I liked this study so well, that I decided to expand it, which necessitated mounting additional paper etc. – the book-binder’s board was tough and warpy and the connecting seams made ridges – a messy job which, while I had withdrawn the picture from circulating always made me ashamed. In two days I completed the job; salvaging the piece of Beaux Arts paper in the process. The picture is now 33 x 45 – and it seems as if it could be converted into something very good. Last week – end – Sally + Cathie to Fredonia for a visit. On Sunday p.m. we drove down for them, taking “Pal along. The car was not working very well, and in addition to the roads