Health report

This is an old post, never published, that I wrote in February of 2013, when I had become ill because of allergies to my art supplies. 

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**We claim no association with the band Phish, other than a little trouble with spelling

Allergic to art making?

Last day at El Circulo Belles Artes

Is it possible to be allergic to the process of making art? I am down to using vine charcoal, and I know for a fact that no one is allergic to plain charcoal. In fact, ground charcoal on the skin is supposed to be a remedy for an allergic reaction, and activated charcoal (whatever that is) is ingested to combat food allergies.

But the last time I went to El Circulo Belles Artes I was getting prickly and itchy within a half hour. It has got to be the air, because at Jaime’s – with the lack of ventilation, the smoking and fixative – it takes about 10 minutes. Even my studio area must still have some dust and fumes, because the rash flares up if I work there for longer than an hour.

 

I haven't finished this one of Claire because I had to stop and take my studio apart to try to make it less toxic.

 

 

I have been researching art material toxicity and have concluded that I am fortunate not to have chronic pain or brain damage (debatable, I know, I know), and not be confined to a wheel chair or long dead of cancer.  It would also seem that to avoid such fates, I will need to invest in the following equipment:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 or be limited to working with charcoal and possibly “Eco Kids” 5 colors of vegie-based paints.

Maybe I should stop doing internet research.

Here is what my doctor prescribed for getting my immune system back on track:

 

My friend Hillary, who is naturopathic doctor, has given me the following:

 And I have been taking saunas, eating greens and soaking in Epsom salts.

What is next – juice fast and crystals?