FAQ: How do you safely paint with oils while pregnant and with a toddler?

I recently heard a horror story from another artist. She was working in oils at the time, which require paint thinner for cleanup. 

One day her young son got into her bottle of paint thinner and drank a large amount. The boy was rushed by ambulance to the hospital about 2 hours away. The entire way there he was throwing up. After a week in the ICU he was stabilized and sent home. 

Shortly after he was sent home he ended up with another complication and was peeing blood. His bladder lining was shredded by the paint thinner. 

After a long time and many complications he eventually recovered his full health. His mother, the artist, never touched oil paint or paint thinner again as a precaution. 

I can’t imagine the pain and suffering both of the child and his family through this ordeal. 

I am so thankful that there is a way to avoid this now! 

When I first started oils I was already pregnant with my first daughter. Like many expectant parents I was concerned about using traditional oils because of the hash chemicals required for cleaning them. 

Thankfully I found Windsor and Newton’s Artisan oils that are water soluble. They feel like a traditional oil with a slow drying time, but they can be cleaned with soap and water. 

I am so grateful that I don’t have to worry about having harsh chemicals in my home studio and the possibility of my children getting into them!

I have started wearing disposable gloves when I paint as a precaution when I’m pregnant. I don’t know how toxic the paints themselves can be, I’m not a scientist, but I can be a messy painter, so I’m extra cautious. 

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