Bluebird and Cottonwoods (The Birches) 1917

Charles E. Burchfield made this watercolour painting of birch trees, with a bluebird perched among them, sometime in the mid-20th century. I imagine him building up the image with thin washes, letting the paper breathe, and allowing the colours to bleed and mingle, one into another. The textures and forms seem to emerge from the application of the paint itself; you can sense his attention to light, atmosphere and detail. I wonder, was he trying to capture the feeling of being in the woods? The birch trees in the foreground contrast with the landscape, which is rendered in earth tones of brown, ochre, and gray. This contrast between the crisp whiteness of the bark and the warmth of the landscape creates a sense of depth and movement. The overall effect is one of quiet beauty and contemplation. Painting is like having a conversation with all the painters that came before you, so that each artist’s individual voice contributes to the conversation that we’re all having together.