Found this link today on the ACC Community Education Facebook page. It concerns toxic oil painting materials and protecting yourself.
http://www.botanicalamy.com/2014/06/13/chemical-safety-oil-painting/
Safety Tips:
Oil paints can contain toxic minerals such as lead and cadmium which can build up in your body over time. Protect yourself:
1. Never eat or drink while painting
2. Never put brushes in your mouth.
3. Use a barrier cream to protect your hands if you don't like vinyl gloves. I use
Gloves in a Bottle. The writer in the above link recommends
Art Guard Barrier Cream.
4. Always ventilate your studio well.
5. I use odorless
Turpenoid Natural (in the green can) to clean brushes. It's non toxic and non flammable. Other odorless turps still contain mineral spirits (dangerous to breathe). Check the label.
By the way, another scientist friend tells me that tattoo pigments can contain the same toxic minerals. Would you put those under your skin?
Congratulations to Mary Jo Wickstrom, who won an award in the Arapahoe Community College, Community Education Student Art Show!