Events to mark Burchfield’s Golden Year
SALEM — Salem events will mark the centennial anniversary of watercolorist Charles E. Burchfield’s Golden Year — 1917.” The Burchfield Homestead Society is celebrating with special events in mid-August.
Burchfield grew up in Salem and returned after college to work in the office of Mullins Manufacturing Company. During his off hours in 1917 he created 400 paintings–many of them are masterpieces in museum and private collections.
Two different Burchfield-designed wallpaper samples will be sold during the events. The framed paper pieces have “Birge” and “Designed by Burchfield” printed along their trim line edges. Burchfield designed wallpapers for Birge in Buffalo, N.Y., before his art career took off in the 1930s.
Nancy Weekly, the world’s leading authority on Burchfield, will be the featured speaker at Dinner with the Burchfields at 6 p.m. Aug. 18 at the Salem Community Center, 1098 N. Ellsworth Ave.
Weekly is the Burchfield Scholar, Head of Collections, and Charles Cary Rumsey curator for the Burchfield Penney Art Center in Buffalo, N.Y. Signed copies of “The Sacred Woods,” Weekly’s book about Burchfield, will be available for purchase.
Several of Burchfield’s local relatives will also be on hand to share reminiscences about his life and work. Dinner tickets are $25 and must be purchased in advance at the office of Attorney Fredric E. Naragon, 248 E. State St., Salem, 330-337-9578, or by mailing a check to the Burchfield Homestead Society, P.O. Box 317, Salem, Ohio 44460.
Burchfield’s Homecoming, a one-man show starring Chris Fidram and directed by Jeanne Elser, Burchfield’s grand niece, will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 19 and 2 p.m. Aug. 20 at the Salem Community Theatre, 490 E. State St.
The play was written by Dick Wootten, former Cleveland Press art critic and a founding member of the Burchfield Homestead Society. The play was originally produced in 1993. It features Burchfield’s memories of growing up in Salem and explains how he came to feature the town’s buildings and rural scenes in his paintings. Tickets are $15 for adults, $11 for senior citizens, and $9 for students under 17, and may be purchased in advance at Naragon’s office and Lib’s Market, 474 E. State St., Salem, or at the theater one hour prior to the shows.
To schedule an interview with Elser call 330-549-3447 or email j-elser@sbcglobal.net.
For other questions call the Burchfield Homestead Museum at 330-717-0092. Additional information is on the Burchfield Homestead Society Facebook Page.
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