Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

In the winter of 1933, Burchfield made some renovations to this studio, adding a skylight and clearing out an accumulation of “too much stuff,” as he described it. In fallow months he and his wife, Bertha, also enjoyed creating bouquets from dead plants, like milkweed and goldenrod in appreciation of their subdued colors. Three winters later, he painted this corner of his studio, sensitively juxtaposing the complementary cool colors of the snowy yard against the warm-toned palette of the interior. Winter sunlight falls on Burchfield’s smock and a bouquet of pussy willows in a flame-shaped vase. Pussy willows always stood for the promise of Spring. It may still be winter outdoors, but the interior is rich and warm and full of life. As a portrait of his workspace, where he expressed his being through art, Pussy Willows serves as a self-portrait, as well.