Week 28: Viola, by Sunnyside

Viola, by Sunnyside, watercolor on paper, August 20, 2022

Note: Lesson from Anna Mason’s membership site.

Happy Sunday! 🙂

~Sunnyside

23 Comments Add yours

  1. shoreacres says:

    I grew up knowing these as ‘Johnny-jump-ups.’ I have no idea how they got that name, and a quick search didn’t help. I did learn that these had arrived in the U.S. before it was the U.S. The first record is from 1718.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. How interesting! Thanks, Linda. 😎

      Liked by 2 people

    2. I don’t know anything about this wildflower per se but I wonder whether the name has to do with “waking early in the morn,” which is to say blooming—jumping up—early in the day. Once you have the word “jump,” the person’s name could have been chosen to make an alliteration. Check out these verses from the 1890 book In My Nursery:

      https://www.google.com/books/edition/In_My_Nursery/VgY6Hlg05Z0C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Johnny-jump-up&pg=PA229&printsec=frontcover

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Charming poem – thanks for linking. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I just found out that the author of In My Nursery, Laura E. Richards, was the daughter of Julia Ward Howe, who wrote the words to “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_E._Richards

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Thanks – I enjoyed learning more about Laura Richards. 🙂

        Like

  2. You may have noticed that some Americans who try to write the French word voilà end up writing viola.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. lol…I almost named this post ‘Voila!’. 😎

      Liked by 1 person

  3. This work of art is gorgeous! I thought it was by some famous artist that I didn’t know. You are extremely talented. How many of these have I missed of yours I wonder. Are you up to illustrating a children’s book?

    Liked by 2 people

    1. You are very kind, Susan. I appreciate your encouragement. I started art lessons online last November 2021 – art is better than therapy! This is a beginner watercolor tutorial. How did you guess that I am a lifelong children’s book collector? lol Especially the out of print ones which show signs of being well-loved. 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Birds of a feather… My late husband and I have/had (?) a wonderful children’s series idea! I couldn’t pay you until it’s making money, but it would give you experience to practice with your wonderful abilities!!

        Liked by 2 people

      2. I am intrigued about your idea for a children’s book. You need a real artist to do it justice. I am still learning the basics. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      3. I disagree, but if you are bowing out gracefully, then I will continue to enjoy your paintings here.

        Liked by 1 person

  4. The flower explodes off the paper. Well done!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Aww…thank you, Rosaliene! ❤️😎

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Brushorpencil says:

    I love this piece, and these flowers are so intriguing. They look like little faces with a sort of hat on top, like from two centuries ago. I think this idea comes from my reading of Alice in Wonderland. I don’t know. Beutifully done, indeed 💚
    Thank you for the follows. I changed my name to “brushorpencil”, as you see now, because I feel more comfortable not using my real name for the posting (Olga) for now. Thank you, really!!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I am so happy to have found your website again, brushorpencil! Thanks so much for the encouragement. 🙂❤️

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Brushorpencil says:

        Thank you for your beautiful site 💚

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Brushorpencil says:

    Thank you for your beautiful site 💚

    Liked by 2 people

      1. Brushorpencil says:

        I’m afraid I duplicated the comment. Sorry 😌
        (you can call anyhow; about my name, I just meant for my gravatar and in my own posting. I told you about it because I wanted you to know who I was when I commented in your site. You might say who is this “brushorpencil” now? 😉)

        Liked by 2 people

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