When Elizabeth and I moved to Vermont nearly twenty years ago, the first thing we did was create a space to paint. Behind the attached garage there was a 16 x 24 ft. workroom the builder had used as his carpentry shop, which we thought would make a good temporary studio while we settled in. We raised the ceiling as high as we could, blocked off the windows on the east wall, and installed large windows in the north wall. It was a rough space with bare plywood on the walls and ceiling, but the light was good. We painted together in that space for twelve years before converting the garage into a second studio. Elizabeth likes the new studio, but I generally prefer the intimacy of the smaller space. I painted one wall in an attempt to make it look nicer but then decided I’d rather paint in a dedicated workspace than in a showroom. Besides, the plywood throws a beautiful warm reflected light on my models!
