Olive oil for cleaning brushes?

[Michele Rushworth]

Perhaps this will be the solution to a plein aire dilemma I have. We are flying to a vacation spot in Mexico soon, and I hope to spend lots of time painting.

We will be going to an area where I expect it will be impossible to buy mineral spirits -- and I can't bring them on the plane. But the corner grocery stores will sell olive oil!

[Mike McCarty]

In a remote area, on a frozen lake, two men found themselves ice fishing fairly close to one another. One man could not catch a fish to save his life but noticed that the other man was hauling them in. He finally approached the man and asked: I notice that you are having a lot of luck here, what's your secret? The man looks up and mumbles something incoherent. I'm sorry, the man says, I didn't catch what you said. Once again the man mumbles incoherently. Again the man responds, I'm not understanding what you are saying, can you be more clear? Finally the man bends over, spits on the ground, and then says "you've got to keep the worms warm."

Michele, while on your flight, you could hide a vile of mineral spirits between your cheek and gum. When someone speaks to you just mutter "plein aire." I'll bet they leave you alone.

[Michele Rushworth]

...or send me to Guantanamo as an enemy combatant.

[Wayne McMichael]

When I was sign lettering by hand from about 1985-1990, I always cleaned my brushes well with mineral spirits and then dabbed them in the olive oil before putting them up. It would keep them nice and supple. Then clean them before painting again of course.

I have not used them since but still have them and they are just fine, still covered with olive oil. We always used the most expensive olive oil but I forgot the name. An old sign painter taught me that. I don't think I would ever put soap and water on my oil brushes though. I would think the soap would have detrimental effects on the bristles, making them dry out.

[Michele Rushworth]

What would you use to get the olive oil out? The mineral spirits?

[Wayne McMichael]

Yes Ma'am.

[Michele Rushworth]

Thanks!

[Marta Prime]

At the risk of repeating what has been covered in other buried threads, what's the matter with using Walnut Oil if you are "on location" without access to mineral spirits? You can paint with it, clean with it, and then if you can't stand the thought of it in your brushes, you can use a little brush soap (I'm assuming that's allowed on planes) when you get back to your room.

[Michele Rushworth]

I remember reading about that -- sounds like it might be the right solution. Anyone know where to get it, in a quality that I could use for painting and cleaning?

[Marta Prime]

You can buy it at M Graham, but the quantities are smaller and the price is higher than buying it at your local health food market. That's what William Whitaker suggested. He had a story on his web site about using Walnut Oil when he was on vacation, I think it was the demo of the cello player.

If you try it, let us know how it worked out for you. There is always so much controversy about this sort of thing, it's difficult to know what to think sometimes.