Artist

razza45

New member
Feb 12, 2011
2
0
Allston, MA
Parrots
Roxy the TAG
Hi all

Wanted to know if there are any practicing artists with an African Grey on this Forum..
I was curious as to what safety precautions you take as an artist residing in a live/work space with your grey.
(I am an oil painter)

Thanks
 

Printer bird

New member
Jan 4, 2011
268
1
Calgary, AB
Parrots
Dipper, 8 year old WC Pionus
RIP Charlie, Green Cheek Conure,
Lelu, parrotlet and
Poe the budgie.
Hi, I'm a practicing artist and college instructor and can answer questions you might have about materials even if I don't have a grey. Most art supplies are toxic in some way to parrots and I would not allow my parrot to be in my studio with me unless I'm just drawing with pencils. Dust from charcoal, pastels and any other dry materials are not good for them to breathe. Fumes from solvents and turpentines are also dangerous. Please note that most paints use pigments that have heavy metals and are definitely toxic to them and you (make sure you're wearing thin gloves when you paint and don't chew on the ends of your paintbrushes). I would have a separate art space for you and not allow the bird to be in it. Maybe an exception could be made if you were outside and you didn't handle the bird with paint on your hands or allow it to go near your art stuff. Feel free to ask any other questions if you might have them :)
 
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razza45

razza45

New member
Feb 12, 2011
2
0
Allston, MA
Parrots
Roxy the TAG
  • Thread Starter
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  • #3
Thanks for the response

I just recently moved into an industrial style apartment with an open, loft layout. It has roughly 1650 sq ftage/ 23 ft ceilings, so there is a lot of room for air circulation. I have set up my studio on the bottom floor where I use odorless mineral spirits and an array of mediums/ pigments including cadmiums..
Do you think I could keep my bird on the upper level of the loft without running any risk? I'm unaware of how much space is needed in order to dilute the levels of toxicity found in the materials I use (especially regarding how sensitive a bird's/ Grey's respiratory system is)
 

Printer bird

New member
Jan 4, 2011
268
1
Calgary, AB
Parrots
Dipper, 8 year old WC Pionus
RIP Charlie, Green Cheek Conure,
Lelu, parrotlet and
Poe the budgie.
Odorless mineral spirits just means they have little odor but they still have fumes. One University that I taught at had banned the odorless type because people wouldn't realize that they were using too much or that others could be sensitive to the fumes despite there not being much odor. I don't like them for just that reason, they are somewhat deceptive. I would say, paint downstairs (the paint itself doesn't give off enough fumes to be a concern) but clean your brushes and rinse with the mineral spirits either just outside or next to a window as far away as you can get from your bird. You can try one of the less toxic walnut oils as a thinning medium for when you are painting in your space. I don't know that I would trust any of the solvents around a bird, even if they are far away.
 

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