SALEM - Art enthusiasts gathered at the Burchfield Homestead Museum's Annual Garden Party Sunday evening, taking in the vast beauty of the museum's garden and appreciating the genius of Salem's native son, renowned artist Charles Burchfield.

Two new displays were intoduced, one of local artists' renderings of Burchfield's own garden and the other an exhibit of prints loaned by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

According to museum curator, Janis Yereb, Burchfield kept a detailed list of flowers that he and his family planted in the garden in 1913, 27 total including several wild flowers; and the museum has replicated that list, planting each flower Burchfield recorded, with the financial assistance of the Pearce Foundation.

A vital component of the museum, the garden will be featured in the Salem Storybook Museum's Home and Garden Tour Aug. 6-8.

At the garden party, several local artists had the opportunity to display their work inspired by the gardens, much like some of the pieces Burchfield produced.

Another new exhibit, the "Cleveland Connection" features prints and woodblock carvings loaned by the Cleveland Museum of Art, displaying "great examples of the emotion," using all the senses, not just visual, that Burchfield expressed through his work, Yereb said.

"We're very fortunate that Cleveland has recognized us and is sharing what they have," she said.

The museum is also featured in the July issue of Ohio Magazine, and Burchfield's work is featured in a traveling exhibit entitled "The Architecture of Painting" that has been in Columbus and will be in Buffalo, N.Y., soon.

"It's just fantastic that his work is being celebrated in museums from Ohio to New York," Yereb said. "It's important for every community to have some culture, some pride; and Salem has so much, so many people who have done great things. It is a real privilege to be able to bring the community together around such a great talent as Charles Burchfield."

Located at 867 E. Fourth St., the museum is open free to the public from 1-4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, or by appointment by calling 330-332-8601.

Opened in August 1999, the museum is the restored childhood home of Burchfield and often a direct influence on his work. Many elements of the home can be seen in the artist's paintings.

Kevin Howell can be

reached at

khowell@salemnews.net