[ReNae Stueve]

My original studio/office was the smallest 3rd bedroom in my house. Both it and my bedroom face north, but the light is shaded by the wrap around porch.

When my daughter moved away to college and the pursuit of the American Dream, I took over her room, much to her surprise. "What no shrine?"

However, this room faces south and I'm not crazy about that. I'm contemplating switching again, putting the studio up front in my bedroom and vice versa. Either way, this extra space has given me a lot more backing-up room.

I once placed the drafting chair in front of my easel, but after kicking it out of my way a dozen times I've moved it back to the drafting table for good. I now paint standing. I've been known to paint myself into a trance and not move from that spot for hours on end, which stocks me up a bit.

My computer center is at a 90 degree angle from the easel area which is where I reflect, read and write. This gives me time to sit and contemplate my work, both ahead and just finished.

I have a bad habit of not being able to stop, though. Once my brushes have been cleaned for the day and my palette is covered, I now find I have to get out of there or I'll grab a brush for "just this one little thing" and start all over again.

This room IS my sanctuary. I've added random 36x36 blocks of cork board, to which I tack anything that I might want to use some day, and I've added a small stereo. The music has turned out to be my timer. I put in 3 CD's, Chopin and friends or J. Arif Verner type and set it to shuffle.

When the play stops, I take a break. This should save my knees in the future. I pulled the doors off the closet and have set up a series of movable shelves that I use for still life set-ups.

Using Wiremold, I've fashioned a track lighting system in there where I can control the light source and intensity. (I made my living as a lighting consultant for years and get all of this a factory cost.)

P.S. Read up on C.R.I color rendering index. Just because your light has a Kelvin temperature close to that of sunlight, doesn't mean it has a good C.R.I. Don't buy the new GE reveal. That pretty much sums it up. Oh, I've just added a dog bed. Hopefully the dog will learn to use it so I will stop stepping on her as I back up!