New paintings

"Here is better than there" 18 x 24 oil on canvas by Kerry Steele

I finished two small paintings this week, which felt like quite a victory. The funny part is that my oldest daughter was grounded and that meant I got some work out of the lovestruck, lazy girl, freeing up my time to paint.

"Say, Momma" oil and acrylic on 16 x 20 canvas by Kerry Steele

They are both still wet. The thing with oils is that they do not "dry" they cure. This is a fact that is making me a little crazy right now. I posted a painting several weeks ago, "Bluestocking babe" that is still "wet"

"Bluestocking babe"  18 x 24 oil and charcoal on linen

Its not just a little wet, either. I read that heat can speed up the oxidation process and help them "dry" faster so this one is hanging in my garage.

I am going to try not adding so much extra linseed oil. I have four canvases in progress and I am going to start another today and use an additive called Liquin to remedy this problem.

I also bought over 100 new tubes of paint this week. That was a fun box to unpack especially since it had more than a few shades that I have never used before. It was just like being a kid on Christmas morning. I didn't know which to play with first.