Advice from Mamas Who Paint with Oils

I am a glass artist and do my art in my basement. My kids are not allowed near my workbench and they are not allowed in the basement when I am soldering (with lead) or cutting metal for frames. I did have a heavy duty air filter/ cleanner installed above my bench to suck in the fumes when I solder and I open the windows. Could you have an air filter installed too? I think it would be much more comfortable to be in the house vs. the garage. You also could ask the kids pediatrician.

My children are 3 and 1, I'm still not comfortable having the oils in my home. I think it really depends on how old your children are and how confidant are you that your children will not be able to get to your supplies. Also, consider how fast you'll be able to get yourself cleaned and have things safely out of the way when one of your little ones wake up with a bad dream.

I just finished taking a college level painting course, and learned that mineral spirits are not even necessary any more. You can use walnut oil or linseed oil to thin your paints. And you can use a gentle brush cleaner like "Master's Brush Cleaner" for your brushes. Mineral spirits are so harmful to the environment too. My instructor also gave us a huge list of pigments that were highly toxic or moderately toxic, and discouraged us from using them in her studio. A similar list can be found here: http://carolineroberts.blogspot.com/2009/01/toxicity-of-p...
After learning about the harmful effects of inhalation and about how many artists have died from pigment poisoning, I would never go back to the old way of oil painting. And it is not just inhalation, it is absorbed through your skin if you don't use gloves. The pigments my instructor encouraged that are low-risk:
Burnt and Raw Sienna (PBr7)
Mars Red (PR101)
Red Ochre (PR101)
Mars Violet (PR101)
Gold Ochre (PY43)
Yellow Ochre (PY43)
Green Earth/Terra Vert/Verdetta (PG23)
Iron Oxides (except Mars Brown) (PR102, PBr7)
Ivory Black (PBk9)
Mars Black (PBk11)
Mars Orange (PY42+PR101)
Yellow Ochres (PY43)
Titanium White (PW6)
Transparent Yellow Oxide (also Orange) (PY42)
Ultramarine Blue, Red, Green and Violet (PB29)

I only bought the primaries and black/.white for the course. (I am a poor painting mama!) Needless to say I learned how to get REALLY good at mixing my own colors:) It really is true that you can make any color from the primary set and black/white. I will never buy anything outside of the primaries again.

I have my studio set up in my house, in a corner of the living room, and have a easel for my daughter set up also. We paint together quite a bit, although I only let her use watercolor and acrylic right now. I do keep all the paints and mediums in a locked supply box with a padlock when not in use, even though they are low-risk. Mainly I wanted to be able to let our paintings dry in the house without slowly killing/impairing us:)

Happy painting!

Ahhh another artist mama. I have not run into many on this site. If you really prefer the inside, then I'd just say crack a window and run a fan and it will probably be okay. You are from WA so I can see why you don't want to set up shop in the garage. I added new lighting and use a space heater in mine, but I am in So Cal so it doesn't really compare. What is your subject/ style?

OK, so my mom was an artist and loved her oils and left her supplies out and about and cleaned her brushes with mineral spirits wherever....I just assumed all artists were like this. It wasn't until much later in life that I met organized artists who considered safety first.

All 7 of us kids were told to stay away and we did.

I think if you limit your painting supplies to the attic nook and keep the window open or ajar during fumes, and I would recommend a baby gate to really keep the kids out, you all should fare just fine.

Not only did I paint, I did metal sculpture in the kitchen after the children were asleep. You do not need the kids underfoot or even in your room. That said my children were often in the middle and excited about a piece I was working on.
One of my grandson's used to jump the gate and come running down the hall to "my room" so he could witness the project. It was hopeless to keep him out and so I supplied paper and crayons, colored pencils and the like to keep him happy.

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Not only did I paint, I did metal sculpture in the kitchen after the children were asleep. You do not need the kids underfoot or even in your room. That said my children were often in the middle and excited about a piece I was working on.
One of my grandson's used to jump the gate and come running down the hall to "my room" so he could witness the project. It was hopeless to keep him out and so I supplied paper and crayons, colored pencils and the like to keep him happy.

I have an art room in my house and for just the reasons you mentioned (I know its no where near comparable to SD. My parents have a second home in Olympia: ) In the room my daughter has her art table/supplies (she's four) and I have mine. I think its a wonderful example for her, we get to share what we've done, and parallel play. She's not really the type to get into anything, but if yours are more adventurous, maybe just build a very high shelf and keep turp up there? Like Birdie, I also want to know how you paint, your process or style, so maybe you can let us know in the update: )

I would try the garage. You can buy those plastic tarps to seal away a little section so you don't get the dust all over everything, just as long as you keep it ventilated when you are in there. Also, look into getting a few ott lights, perfect, natural light that is great for artists.