Charles E. Burchfield

Charles Ephraim Burchfield (April 9, 1893 – January 10, 1967) was an American painter and visionary artist. He was known for his lovely watercolors of nature scenes and townscapes. His art showed excitement and imagination, capturing everyday moments in a unique way.

The largest collection of Burchfield's paintings, along with his archives and journals, can be found at the Burchfield Penney Art Center in Buffalo. His works are also in many museums across the USA. Famous art museums, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Hammer Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art, have shown his paintings in exhibitions. His art is still admired and studied by many people around the world.

Life

Charles E. Burchfield was born in Ashtabula, Ohio and grew up in Salem, Ohio with his mother. Many of his early paintings were made in the house where he lived from age five to 28. That house is now a museum. He loved reading about nature and enjoyed the writings of Thoreau and Willa Cather, and later, stories by Finnish writers.

Burchfield finished his studies at the Cleveland Institute of Art in 1916. His teacher, Henry Keller, inspired him. Keller was part of the Cleveland School of watercolor painters. In 1921, Burchfield moved to Buffalo, New York to work for a wallpaper company. He married Bertha Kenreich in Greenford, Ohio the next year. Even during the Great Depression, he kept selling his paintings. Later, he became a member of the National Academy of Design. He lived most of his life in the quiet area of Gardenville in West Seneca, New York, and was buried in Oakwood Cemetery in East Aurora, New York.

Work

According to Burchfield's friend and colleague Edward Hopper, his work was connected to real life and the world he knew. People say he painted mysterious and magical landscapes, glowing trees, and special old houses. Jerry Saltz said his work shows the influence of artists like van Gogh, Caspar David Friedrich, Marsden Hartley, and John Marin, as well as simple, everyday kinds of art. Like Hopper, he did not use cubism in his paintings.

Process

Charles Burchfield loved painting with watercolors. He only used this style, which was different from other artists. He stood at an easel and used a special "dry brush" method with very little water on machine-made paper. Sometimes, he would change his paintings years later.

Burchfield believed watercolors were strong and beautiful, even though many people thought they were fragile. He thought if handled and displayed properly, watercolors could stay bright and lively. Today, museums show watercolors like Burchfield’s with special lighting to keep them looking their best.

Art periods

Charles Burchfield's artwork is divided into three periods.

In the first period, he painted people and small-town scenes. He also made abstract paintings that showed feelings, sometimes sad or worried ones. In these early works, he used special strokes to show sounds like insects and cicadas. He gave flowers and houses faces.

In his middle period, from 1919 to 1943, Burchfield painted small towns and industries. These paintings looked strong and solid, even though they were watercolors. During this time, he earned a living from his art.

In his last period, starting in 1943, Burchfield painted nature in a big, dreamy way. He used swirling strokes and bright colors to show how people long ago saw gods and spirits in nature.

Legacy

The Charles Burchfield Center at Buffalo State College was named to honor him in 1966. It was later called The Burchfield Art Center in 1983 and then became The Burchfield Penney Art Center after receiving many gifts of artwork.

The Charles E. Burchfield Nature & Art Center in West Seneca, New York is also named after him. This 29-acre center has gardens, nature trails, and a large playground.

Four of Burchfield’s paintings appear on the cover of author Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead series. Some modern painters are said to have been inspired by Burchfield’s unique style.

Collections

Charles E. Burchfield's artwork is in many famous museums around the world. The Burchfield Penney Art Center in Buffalo, New York, has the largest collection of his paintings and related items.

His paintings are in over 109 museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Museum of Modern Art, among many others.