American Land, American Life

Burchfield drew inspiration from authors such as Henry David Thoreau and John Burroughs, and poets Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, William Cullen Bryant and John Greenleaf Whittier. When he was 20 – and immersed in recording his intense impressions – Burchfield decided to become an artist instead of a naturalist. On a tranquil autumn day, he wrote of the ideal solution: “Clear skies, warm sunshine — And wonderful cool breezes from the south — A calm quietness has settled over all things. The odor of burning leaves — What intoxication it contains! … I long for the woods. — The woods! …I am hoping for a day when I can give myself entirely up to Nature.”

From that day in October 1913, Burchfield pursued every opportunity to merge his love of nature with his need to convey its marvels through his art. He especially wanted to reach people whose lives became too busy to notice the interesting patterns and complex details of common plants, insects, and birds. He was concerned that their hurried lives left no time to appreciate the effects of weather on everything that surrounds them. He also conveyed his love of nature in works that substitute buildings for people, situated in the midst of his community, revealing the charms of small town life in Ohio, the pioneer spirit and struggles characteristic of the rural frontier, the rustic appeal of old urban structures, and Buffalo Harbor’s vital shipping industry tied to grain elevators. He painted the American experience both realistically and expressively to champion its unique qualities.

This exhibition demonstrated Burchfield’s ethos through paintings, drawings, prints and wallpapers from the Burchfield Penney’s collection – the largest, most comprehensive public Burchfield collection in the world – and from private collections in Buffalo and Ohio.

Family Workshop, February 8: A Brush with Burchfield

After examining Charles Burchfield’s watercolors in the exhibition, American Land, American Life, participants explored how different paintbrushes, the quantity of water, and choice of paper create various “wet and dry” effects. Art teacher Nicole Chernega conducted this workshop for children.