Making your own linseed oil

Flaxseed oil ripening

So sitting on the kitchen window and now outside on a bench in full sun are these quart size jars full of 100% pure flaxseed oil.
The whole process of turning flaxseed into linseed oil is a 3 month process which I have left mainly up to artist hubby, Steve Filarsky, to process (he loves that kind of stuff) He researched some old formulas and the smaller batches have been the most amazing linseed oil on the planet!
The luminosity from what we create vs store bought is stunning and that means, our oil paintings have an extra glow about them! Yes-linseed oil is an ancient time honored medium mixed into the oil paints or used as a final varnish. No yellow here!  There is something timeless and satisfying in making your own mediums and glazes and being involved with that part of the painting process. A full circle! 

Completion of the oil Portrait going to Kenya

Ah, nothing is better than a completed, approved commission!
My 16 x 20 oil of the four Kenyan presidents, Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel ArapMoi, Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta who have held office since Kenyan independence 50 years ago.

My collector is from Kenya  and is returning later this month for the celebrations. Of all the mediums, oil is best suited for the rigors of traveling in  a suitcase on a long flight!

"Kenyan Independence Celebration" oil 16 x 20 by M Theresa Brown

Work in progress-the Kenyan oil

Progress continues! Well actually I am further along than this image depicts as I have since lowered the structures, added dates and tweaked the background-will finish off suits, etc today. The client has already seen the painting in person which is important if it can be achieved as there is NO way a digital or printed out digital of an art piece will look the same as the original. My clients are always blown away when they receive the "real thing." And they tell me so!

The completed portrait will go up this evening. In the meantime, I am sketching out the face of one of the boys for the large oil-impossible to see details of it on a soft focus photo but it is the thing photographers like to do to keep clients happy-just enough detail to know it is the subject but not enough to see any "HDTV" details.

The studio has been busy with a number of portraits on easels right now.