I’m excited to share this important episode featuring mixed media artists Michelle Berg Radford and Amy Sacksteder in conversation on studio safety. Regardless of whether your concerns are environmental or medical, Michelle and Amy’s best practices translate across a variety of media including acrylic, oil, and more, and are great rules of thumb for artists of any kind.
When confronted with the prospect of dangerous chemicals, many artists may feel compelled to quit a medium like oil. But working safely doesn’t mean giving up on a form of painting you love. While working in home studios often entails different concerns and safety challenges than a fully outfitted studio space, Michelle and Amy demonstrate that it is still more than possible to work with your preferred media as long as you do your research and develop safe (and sustainable) habits. Beyond always reading labels and wearing gloves, Michelle and Amy walk us through the ways they clean brushes, dispose of chemicals from medium and solvents, and tailor their painting practices to promote better studio safety.
Though adapting new practices in the studio can feel restrictive, it also opens up new creative doors and pushes you to engage with your medium in a whole new way. Additionally, the three of us talk about making work that you “never imagined making” through changing your studio practice in early motherhood, balancing multifaceted careers with parenting, and the best kid-safe art supplies. Another great rule of thumb? Imitate the precautions that you see implemented by arts institutions in your home!
See more of Michelle’s work on her website or on IG @michelle.radford
See more of Amy’s work on her website or on IG @amysacksteder_studio
The Artist/Mother podcast is created and hosted by Kaylan Buteyn. You can see more of Kaylan’s work on her website or connect with her on Instagram @kaylanbuteyn
Photos and work from Amy Sacksteder:
Photos and images of work from Michelle Berg Radford:
