Painting in the time of pandemic

We painters are lucky. We already self-isolate when we paint, so when the pandemic s**t hits the fan, we can continue painting and just carry-on as usual.

Last week I ordered some oils from RGH, and today it was delivered to my porch. No delays; business as usual. This was a small order–a tube of cadmium yellow, and a can of flake white. You can see the can of flake white and the box it was delivered in.

It’s concerning to see the oil stain on the side of the box but everything seems OK–no spills or leaks.

You might smile at what I’m about to say but COVID-19 is serious. I put on a pair of disposable gloves to open the box and then immediately put the box in the outside trash bin. I won’t touch the paint for several days; long enough for any potential virus to dissipate.

Why you might ask, would I order flake white paint during a pandemic? Perhaps my anxiety is exacerbated by the virus. Who knows? I worry about running out of the all-important paint. Whenever my supply of it gets low, I reflexively order more. RGH was my go-to paint for a while and I’m glad I ordered from them. Hats off to them for soldiering on.

In an effort to secure a supply of flake white, last summer I ordered a large amount of the pigment from Robert Doak— enough to fill a gallon bucket, as you can see. I plan to make my own flake white soon.

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