I asked him if that was the case then how come all the painters we knew were also drunks?

I seem to remember painters being drunks, too (including Teddy at BBH who thinned oil paint with water, even after we told him it couldn't be done), and have a vague recollection that it was related to the lead in the paint.  What I'm less sure of is whether this is something I heard, or whether it was something in one of my 1920's painting and drecorationg handbooks.

Ralph

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