New work

"Bluestocking babe" oil on linen by Kerry Steele

I finished two oil on linen paintings this week. They were both canvases in limbo that I had put aside because I was not pleased with the direction they were going. That is how I get unstuck.

"Bluestocking babe" got a massive edit to the fist go which was an oil and charcoal figure that started out beautifully and then I gave her red hair. Suddenly she was a cartoon hooker and I couldn't even look at it.

I prefer her in the abstract.

The word bluestocking means a woman with strong scholarly or literary interests. Now at least she is a smart tart.

"Laying under the table and dreaming" oil on linen by Kerry Steele

Twice this week I heard the Dave Matthews song "Ants marching" on the radio. Its been years but every time I hear it the line "and he remembers being small, laying under the table and dreaming" brings back an assortment of memories. This painting is sort of the way I can illustrate that.

I am occasionally asked how I come up with titles for my paintings. Sometimes it is very easy sometimes not when it is not I use this random title generator. I generally don't take exactly what it spits out but it gives words to me quickly and one jumps out I go with it.

If you ever need to kill a few minutes, use it. It will make you laugh with titles like "Broken wind" (I am not making that up) and other nonsense that is amusing.