Beyond the door I posted yesterday is my messy studio. Built by my husband, my father and my son over the space of about five years, it provided an ideal bonding experience for all three. There were some disagreements as the project expanded from a simple eight by eight structure to what it is today.  (My neighbor once joked that we were building the Taj Mahal!)

We call it The Teahouse.

Of course, traditional teahouses do not have aluminum roofs but this is California where a thatched roof and paper walls are not practical. There are four barn-style doors that open to allow cross ventilation – a necessity when you’re addicted to painting with oils.

I don’t get down to my Taj Mahal as often as I should.  All of this editing, blogging, tweeting, and creating a presence on social media has greatly cut into my painting. The last time I went down there, I discovered that a mouse colony had taken up residence in my paint box. Sorry mice. I’m not Bob Ross! You’ve got to find new digs.