On the Sunny Side – Now At the Principle Gallery Show
The storm and its fury broke today
Crushing hopes that we cherish so dear
The clouds and storms will, in time, pass away
The sun again will shine bright and clear.
—Keep on the Sunny Side, Ada Blenkhorn & J. Howard Entwisle, 1899
I thought it would be a good idea to show one of the smaller pieces from my current show at the Principle Gallery. I like this painting a lot, mainly for its color and brightness which gives it a sense of hope and optimism. I also like the balance of the composition. It’s simply constructed but it feels full and right, something I always look for in my work.
Plus, it has a message that we need to keep in mind during these stormy times.
Its title is On the Sunny Side which was nabbed from the titles of two songs that came to mind, actually. One was jazzy classic On the Sunny Side of the Street (grab your coat /grab your hat/ leave your worries on the doorstep), a song from the 1930’s that has been recorded by countless artists over the years. The other was the bluegrassy Keep on the Sunny Side which was written in 1899 and popularized by the Carter Family in the late 1920’s.
Either song works really well with this forward-looking piece but for today I chose the version from The Whites which was included in the great soundtrack for the film O Brother, Where Art Thou? It’s a lovely, faithful rendition of the song and it fits nicely with the upbeat tone of the painting.
And that’s something I can use this morning.
Redtree Times 
I love both of these songs — grew up with them, in fact. But there’s another sunny song that’s even more of a favorite. Any of the three’s a great choice for morning music.
Yep. That’s certainly a great fit, as well. However, I think I went with the songs with “sunny side” in their titles because the sun here reminds me of a sunny side up egg. I don’t believe there are any eggs in “Here Comes the Sun.”
And I never would have thought of a sunny-side up egg. I’ve always stuck with scrambled or omelets.
Don’t eat them that way myself but I waited tables in a pancake house, so they are on my radar.