Charles E. Burchfield

Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, Vol. 38, April 15, 1932, 52-53.

Fri. Apr. 15, 1932

            To Springbrook country painting –

            A marvelous day out of Eternity – Not for many months have I had such pure unalloyed pleasure in being outdoors and painting.

            A clear brilliant blue sky with strong warm sun – Great patches of snow glare blindingly – Take bus to East Seneca – thence walk to Transit road a short piece – ditches full of sparkling running water – cut diagonally over fields after filling my bottle with water out of a swollen brook – There are phenomena this month that we will hardly see for a long time again. These patches of snow – the sun so high I the heavens – toads undaunted singing from pools, - a strange unreality pervades all things.

[53]      Thru a little grove – then along cliff top – Stop to make painting of black tree in valley – Tho this sketch turned out indifferent (in fact all my sketches today were of little value) yet I enjoyed myself doing it – perhaps one reason why they turned out second-rate – the warm sun beating down, the air full of bird-songs, toad-pipings – the noise of water running everywhere – a haze arising from the ground – the snow spots shrinking rapidly.

Sketch finished, down into valley to eat – sit in a sheltered spot on a stump, reveling in the warm sunshine – find a vermillion cup fungus and a white flower.

Sketch of two little cascades which come from the snowfields tumbling down to little creases in the earth, to unite, and come down further as one – a delightful subject – Finished start walking homeward – late afternoon sunlight romantic slate cliffs with snow – the banal tourist camp - , up hill and thence along edge of cliff to Transit Road bridge – great dramatic skies to west – make a rapid sketch. Come to impassible torrent – go back to Transit Road – thence to Clinton – the level sun-rays turn trees to flaming feathers against a blue-black stormy East – in Clinton St. hurriedly, just catching bus.