Where is your studio: home or commercial ? [Archive] - Sculpture Community

Mordachai

10-09-2005, 04:12 PM

As far as selling out of your house,if you mean legally selling out of your house, that all depends you your local city's laws. I'm sure every city is different. I'd imagine most if not all will want an occupational license, thier measly yearly fee and a once every few years inspection.... Some might want to have OSHA in there just to make sure it's safe to work.....

You'd have to contact your local Gov. about it. I would ask about running a home-based business, and not say anything about a studio at first. If they ask, say you're in sales or something. just get the basic idea, you can take it from there.

I would highly recommend haveing studio at home if at all possible. When inspiration strikes it's right there and you can have at it. (That can also hurt, because you might end up doing more things around the house, being pulled away from the work.)
Many of the pros and cons will be the same as almost any home beased business. You should try to do things with the same regularity as if your work was at another location(ie: up the same time every day, meals at the same time, not just when you wanna , etc. etc.)

Me- I'm spoiled and have my 'studio' in my house. I have a small workbench about 16' long, and another about 10' with drill press, grinding wheel, etc. All the tools kinda in one spot...
Also starting to turn the barn into a forge. Got a gas forge, and a small anvil in there now, this winter will make coal forge, set up blowers, etc.Still on the hunt for a good large anvil.....

Additionally , my mentor who has taught me tons about working with metal lives right next door(1 minute bike ride). He has a huge shop and the smaller 30yr old shop. The big one has the works, plasma torches, many welders, slip rollers, etc.
The small shop has some tools, a few welders is all that's serious... mostly used for storage, painting, repossue, etc.

So having many work spaces all around close to me, I can tell you it can be very productive, or very distracting.. I guess it depends on the person as well. But I will say I think the pros outweigh the cons....

|M|

tobias

10-09-2005, 05:31 PM

My studio is at my home or I guess I should say my home is my studio.I use my basement for carving stone and I have 2 rooms inside that are devoted to drawing and claywork and I have a large area outside I use for metal working. Anvil, furnace for melting portable torches. If I need to do any welding I have to go to my dads place as I dont have a welding oufit(dont think I need one if he has one right? haha).

GaryR52

10-09-2005, 05:34 PM

"As far as selling out of your house,if you mean legally selling out of your house, that all depends you your local city's laws."

I suppose you could probably get around all that by showing your work by appointment only and not advertising your studio address. That way, no one is going to show up unexpectedly and you control the flow of traffic to your house so you don't have a steady stream of visitors. You might think that'd put a damper on your sales, but if people are showing up by appointment only, you're getting well qualified leads; i.e., people who are truly interested in seeing more of your work and possibly buying, not just people wandering in off the street seeking amusement or killing time. Just a thought. As far as advertising goes, you can use all the usual media, just leave out the address and say, call for appointment. You can give them the address when they call. The only drawback is that a few, once they've been there and know where you are, might show up again unannounced every once in a while.

Gary

bluedogshuz

10-09-2005, 07:46 PM

Good thoughts! I am thinking not advertizing studio. Also in my initial discussion with city zoning just the mention of studio set off alarms! I would have a seperate bulding right next to the garage and call it a supplemental building or something. The front yard of my house will have several large sculptures, aand I would as the previous artist that owned the place have small showings cocktail parties and let people know the works are for sale. That was my thinking about how it could work. Any one doin that? :)

Merlion

10-09-2005, 08:55 PM

I am another one whose sculpture studio is at home. And like Gary, I am not selling, having started on sculptures not too long ago.

JAZ

10-10-2005, 12:24 AM

All of you are fortunate to be able to set up workspace at home becasue that is definitely the most economical - you eilminate studio rent and utilities and it works out better in terms of taxes. Unfortunately, Our neighbors are too close on either side and we're not zoned for noisy kinds of work here. Also, steel delivery would be problemmatical.
So, unless we move, I have to rent space. My studio is in the next town over, a fifteen minute drive. I have 1,000 square feet for a reasonable rent because it's not on the ground floor (we have a freight elevator). The only disadvantage is the money and the time it takes to get there. Otherwise, it's across the street from a welding supply place and a scrap metal dealer, a five minute walk from a great hardware store and fifteen minutes drive from my steel supplier. Also, the Cultural Council organizes a studio tour every year, though I chose not to participate last year and this year. And since it's an industrial area I can work until all hours of the night when I need to without bothering anyone.
JAZ

GaryR52

10-10-2005, 07:36 AM

True, JAZ. Carving and modeling media are so much quieter. I have neighbors directly on either side of me, since I own a townhouse, but the way they're laid out, with a detached garage and courtyard inbetween that and the house, the garages only share a common wall with the other garages, which further reduces any noise. Actually, when I'm modeling plasticine, I do it in my kitchen. My neighbor next door has come over to watch me carve foam and she doesn't have any complaint. It's no more disturbing to her than my sweeping out the garage. ;)

Gary

iron ant

10-10-2005, 08:44 AM

I have had four studios in twenty years.Started in A 100 year old cottin gin factory in downtown Atlanta.Ausome place,put studio was a joke.I shared it with 7 women,who I never meet,and a potter.I then moved to the Nunn Complex right outside Atlanta in Marietta GA.The building was cool,they built the wood frames for Zienith TV,S in the 40,s and it was converted to art studio space.I was there for 8 years,but I had to drive 75 miles a day,Atlanta traffic was killing me,so I had to sleep in shop several days a week,started getting old.Finally moved shop to old farm.Imagine this,I set up shop it Two chiocken houses built back to back.The darn thing was 30'x16'x600.I scabed in 50' with slab,wall,power ect.I would open my back door at night and the single light bulbs on the joist would go for anoth 550'It was bizzare,dusty,and the best feeking storage I ever had.I once had a cow lean in the door and eat my original drawing of my big wall sculpture I was building,tack and all.The place was a fire hazard though.Now I work in a prefabed metal building in the mountains.I love my shop,but my drive way is almost a mile long gravel road,no metal trucks up here.It can be extremly hard to motivate at home,but you do not have the distractions that an art complex has.An art complex though gives artist to hash ideas,physicall help,and sometimes an ear.I thing starting out around other artist and shops helps young artist.You learn from other people about there craft,materials are easier to obtain,and it is motivating.The down fall is rent.The eight years I was in marietta,were some of my best financially ,and I did not make a dime,it all went to rent,power,phone,natural gas heat,ect.Basically I bought my shop I have eight times,before I actiually built it.If you are going to build ,Pre fabed metal buildings are the way to go.They can be built to spect,cheaper then framing,and they don,t burn.No real nieghbors yet,but the developers are raping North GA and it is a mater of time.I guess I will be grandfatherd in when are county gets land use or zoning.IA

bluedogshuz

10-10-2005, 10:34 AM

Funny story MMM. Prefab warehouse is great, in fact not a bad investment near a city if you can afford it. I too always lost money. Had a place in Boston once-Southie- I was on the North side. I had the day off from my reg job and lived in the city. I was only 2 miles away. I made a mistake and ended up on I think 93 n in a traffic jam that lasted 3 hours. By the time I got to the studio I was beat!! Anyone near Boston can relate. Jaz a work space with other artist is kind of interesting because most places have a open studio twice a year to sell work. Gary, I know what you are talking about, used to do stone carving in my garage in a neighborhood! My wife subsequently divorced me, oh well. It sort of depends what I will do. I think welding in the neighborhood will probably out or extremely limited. Plastics, wood carving, and even stone is doable.There are always limitations unless you can find straight industrial and then no one wants to GO THERE to see/buy your work!!

Mordachai

10-10-2005, 11:51 AM

Good thoughts! I am thinking not advertizing studio. Also in my initial discussion with city zoning just the mention of studio set off alarms!

That's why I was saying to say it's a home based business , sales, marketing, something else....

.........have small showings cocktail parties and let people know the works are for sale. That was my thinking about how it could work. Any one doin that? :)
Yeah actually even though my mentor/neighbor is a well known artist, and they do have a occ. licence, they do the same and have small parties to show the works, and as was said earlier, they also get a good number of truly interested buyers that call onthier own for appt. to see the work.

"As far as selling out of your house,if you mean legally selling out of your house, that all depends you your local city's laws."

I suppose you could probably get around all that by showing your work by appointment only and not advertising your studio address. That way, no one is going to show up unexpectedly and you control the flow of traffic to your house so you don't have a steady stream of visitors. You might think that'd put a damper on your sales, but if people are showing up by appointment only, you're getting well qualified leads; i.e., people who are truly interested in seeing more of your work and possibly buying, not just people wandering in off the street seeking amusement or killing time. Just a thought. As far as advertising goes, you can use all the usual media, just leave out the address and say, call for appointment. You can give them the address when they call. The only drawback is that a few, once they've been there and know where you are, might show up again unannounced every once in a while.

Gary yeah, but if you are thinking of going legit, you will still need a occupational licence. Not saying that you should run out and get the 'law' involved, just that if it turns into something big, and you do have a number of people coming by, you should get everything legit , before something backfires. You might have some prick inspector, who's interested in your art, and might notice hey, where's your licence?

LOL

Just saying, that prevention is better than a cure!

|M|

bluedogshuz

10-10-2005, 01:15 PM

M
I understand COMPLETELY what you are saying about inspectors! We also have the neighborhood posse (excuse me Association) which I actually helped form. I hate to say it but I would rather people think it a hobby than a full fledge business as the zoning will not allow for a home based business per say, they vhear studio and they say handicap access, neighborhood plan approval ad nauseum. I'm across the street from yuppie park, starbucks you know. I would rather be a guy that works in his supplemental building or mother in law quarters and see people by special invite. An old man carving rocks in his back yard, whaaa? It would however force me into the gallery thing I think. You know artist get cut a little slack anyway, at least I hope. If I was still in South Florida id be a nix, but up Tampa way we have all these cute alleys people can drive up and thats where I'd put the studio. Wadda ya think? :confused:

iron ant

10-10-2005, 01:38 PM

B-dog,no kidding pre fabed metal buildings are the hottest thing around.You design it to fit your needs.Add doors,skylights,insulation,no joist hanging around in the way,most economical way to build these days.My old studio in Maritta was haunted my Barney Nunn,the original owner of the nunn complex.Rumer had it he got run over crossing the street.Also got shot at from a bank robbery across the parking lot when I pulled in the back once.Also witness a couple of thugs driving off with the Easy Rental safe late one night.I though it was the fridge,wondering what the heck must be in it,cops told me later it was safe full of cash.Homeless folks would wonder in around 2 or 3 in the morning,we would talk,I would give them a beer and off they went.Ah the good old days,posting photo of that shop from 1994.It was cold in the winter,I had on longjohns,sweets,and overalls on,and of course my bugger green hat came from China,even had a little red star to sew on.Dog puked on it though so I had to retire it......................Ia

bluedogshuz

10-10-2005, 01:59 PM

That is funny IA. I too have intersting stories when it comes to studios, no money but great memories!! Still have a red star pin! Lately saw some of the local residents trying to figure if it was worth it to steal my copper sculptures for scrap!! I quickly informed them that while they looked like authentic copper they were in fact painted cement. You shoulda seen the toothless grins, precious humanity!!

Judy Robins

10-10-2005, 03:16 PM

I have rented my studio space from a metal sculptor for 15 years. Since I carve marble I can't imagine living there. The dust and noise would be overwhelming.....besides, it is good to go home and good to go to the studio. It is also nice to have a studio mate to bounce ideas off of and occasionally ask for help etc. Clients like the idea of "coming to the artist's studio". it may make it more professional. My tax attorney likes it better too. Judy Robins

GaryR52

10-10-2005, 06:13 PM

yeah, but if you are thinking of going legit, you will still need a occupational licence. Not saying that you should run out and get the 'law' involved, just that if it turns into something big, and you do have a number of people coming by, you should get everything legit , before something backfires. You might have some prick inspector, who's interested in your art, and might notice hey, where's your licence?

LOL

Just saying, that prevention is better than a cure!

|M|

Yep, I know, Mordachai. I think it'll be quite some time before I'm in any danger of being found out, though.

Gary

GaryR52

10-11-2005, 07:59 AM

Yep, mailorder is one way to go, and so is via the internet, which is probably how I'll be marketing my work, once I have enough to market, that is.

Gary

bluedogshuz

10-11-2005, 09:27 AM

That's what I'm think Randall. However so close to the city we have citizin initated complaints etc. Everything has to be inspected before the next thing. It's rediculous. Ineed architect renderings for essentially a garage! The people at the bld dept. don't even know how to read them thats why you need an Architect!! I'm going to do it provided I have enough $. I want a barrel clay tile roof so I need to figure out support without trusses. Anyway, I probably would run showings like a cocktail party and rely on word of mouth, which around here is pretty easy! :rolleyes:

jvc stone

10-11-2005, 09:35 AM

I kind of went about it backwards---Moved my residence to the studio (shop)

Had been renting the old lumberyard with it's mid 20's brick facade on main street since 92. Place got torched in OCT 97, and the owner decided he'd sell the property to me as it was no longer a source of income for him. A lot of community support resulted in an old fashion barn raising, and I had work space again by early 98. Couple of years later, I was offered more than I could refuse for the creek side property where I had been living, so I sold it, bought an ancient winnebago which I moved onto the shop property, and begain building a new office, showroom, apartment structure. Did all of that before my town incorporated, so everything is grandfathered, and no one has ever complained about the massive quantities of limestone dust that frequently billow out of the shop. :rolleyes: Now I'm watching the rapid urbanization of a community I moved to 30 years ago for it's quiet, rural nature. To old to move and start over again, unless some fool offers me more money than I can refuse again. :p
JVC

bluedogshuz

10-11-2005, 10:43 AM

Sounds nice JVC! So you basically live at your studio. Suppose your carving all of that wonderful Texas Stone!? I like the barn idea. The artist space I most Coveted and drooled was a carver in Vermont that had purchased a carriage house and built onto. The doors were really wonderful and the exposed beams were perfect for lifting.

ironman

10-12-2005, 10:12 AM

Hi, I work at home, built a 24 x 30 stick bldg. with a shed roof, low end is 10 ft. (called it a garage on the bldg. permit appl.)
Thought about a metal bldg. but I'm not too crazy about the way they look and since it's 12 ft. away from my beautifully designed adobe looking house, I did stick and stuccoed it the same color.
I have 5 acres on a main road with a 24 x 20 gallery space (doubles as a guest room) at one end of the house.
The property between my house and the road has become a sculpture garden.
I bought this property with the idea of having a gallery/sculpture garden, otherwise I wouldn't be on a main road.
I open whenever I feel like it, and have actually sold my last 2 pieces out of here when I had the "CLOSED" sign up. Go figure!
I have a legit business (license is $20. per yr.) and a sign out by the road.
Have a nice day,
Jeff

bluedogshuz

10-12-2005, 11:37 AM

Hi Jeff!
Sounds like a nice set up with land too! The metal bld idea would be appealing if it was real far from the house, but my studio because of no land will be about 8 ft and will have to be block/stucco meditteranian to match the house. There are some advantages to being on a busy road, morning/evening work traffic bothers me though. I figure in a few years my hearing will go!!! :)

iron ant

10-12-2005, 02:05 PM

Jeff,sounds like we are kinds on the same wave lenght,and I surly dont blame ya for not putting a metal buildind next to an adobe house,big clash,ah.I looked at property south of Santa FE in 97,basically with the same thing you kind of are doing,but lack of water,materials and high cost of everything, combined with a zillion artist,I decide to stay east where family,materials and things were a lot easier to obtain.I do love NM though,I can,t wait to have my kids go there to see,smeel,and listen to the land of enchatment.Props on Waco to boot....IA

ironman

10-12-2005, 08:20 PM

Hey Iron Ant, I live in Silver City, which is in the SW part of the state. I looked for property up in Santa Fe (Fanta Se), but it was too pricey. I've been here since 94 and although Silver is a small town (12,000) it's growing and the prices are rising. BUT, It's a pretty good art town with about 20 galleries and it's getting a good reputation.
Also there are a couple of towns nearby that still have pretty low prices.
As far as water goes, I had my well dug BEFORE I bought the property with the understanding that, no water-no deal. I've got plenty of water, but I do know people who've gone 800 ft. @ $12.00 a ft. and come up dry.
You can't beat the weather, no humidity to speak of and it rarely goes above 90-95 degrees. We do get a little snow.
Very friendly place, great people! Not much appreciation for contemporary non-obj work though, but that's improving.
As far as materials go, we have welding supply places and until last year we had a steel supplier too. Now I deal with a company 100 miles away and they deliver for free if you order $200. or more, which isn't hard to do.
Silver City is getting discovered and they're putting up $350,000 houses, but you can still find stuff for $70-80,000 or buy raw land like I did and build.
True, some stuff, like gas is more expensive than it is 50 miles south of here, that's because we're on the way to no where! BUT, you wouldn't want to live in those towns 50 miles away.
We have some pretty good restaurants, espresso bars, a wine bar and even a gelato shop. We also have a campus of WNMU, a branch of the state univ. system.
If you move here, shut the door when you get in.
One of (not mine) favorite bumper stickers says "now that you've seen Silver City, Go Home!", I say bring it on!
Have a nice day,
Jeff

iron ant

10-13-2005, 12:15 PM

Jeff,

sounds ausome.I live in the apple capital of GA,one of the largest,land wise,counties in GA ,and in 97 there was only 13,000 people in the whole county.Property was about 2,500 t0 8 grand an acer.Now being 75 miles NW of Atlanta,the place is going insane.On the Hwy we have Lowes/superwalmart strip from hell.Took two years to cut down a mountain to build it.Now property os about 8 to 100.000 an acer,it,s crazy.We bought an old house with 17 acers,spring,blueberry farm,and almost 1 mile private gravell driveway.We have old growth timber and we live on the ridge,all for under 150,000.Although we looked for a year and half,we still cant believe we scored on this place.If I ever get it together I will have a place in NM,and possibly keep this too.Eventually a developer will make us an offer we cant refuse,then I might actually bolt.I love the South,but I have bad allergys and the mold/humidity keeps me constant battling the enviroment.We get about 80 inches of rain a year.Your bumper sticker is exactly what all the people here feel about the "forieners".

ironman

10-13-2005, 05:34 PM

Hey Ant, Sounds like you've got a nice little shangri la, 17 acres in the middle of all that crap and it sounds like you have a view, too.
Have a nice day,
Jeff

EJB

10-14-2005, 06:51 AM

My studio is located on a private island at an undisclosed location in the Pacific. Most of the studio complex is located underground and invisible to passing aircraft and satelites. I inherited the island which for many generations has been home to our family business of creating sculpture. The island is abundant in natural resources, many of which are used in the construction of our art pieces. We have been able the subjugate the indigenous mole-like people to work the mines which provides a plethora of precious and non-precious metals, minerals and gemstones. When the works are completed, world-wide shipping is often performed by military transport through governments simpathetic to our cause. The work itself is on display in the public eye, very likely in your city. We do not have announcements or openings of shows. It is our goal to design, create and install these works with little attention from the outside world. What we make are super realistic renditions of everyday objects like firehydrants, telephone poles, doorknobs, car tires, flatware, etc., etc. There are no real limits. Many of these pieces are so successful that they have existed in the public domain without anyone realiziing that they are sculpture. Like I said, my family has been involved in this endeavor for many generations and we have pieces all over the world. The next time you are out and about you might wonder if that bus bench you are sitting on might be one of our sculptures from the island/home studio.

bluedogshuz

10-14-2005, 10:30 AM

EJB
You are indeed prolific. I drove from bay to beach and counted all of the benches and telephone poles. I am curious to know whether any of your "moles" are missing as I counted 15 on the park benches. :eek: Please check wouild you?

Merlion

10-14-2005, 08:28 PM

Apparently EJB, you are trying to outdo somebody I know. I have been told he created the rocks on the hills, the sea shells on the shores, the trees in the forests, and many others. By now, how many percent of these are your work? :p

iron ant

10-14-2005, 11:23 PM

ELB,
Classic,thought you really were from LA for a minute,I meeen arttopia..... :rolleyes: Jeff,thick up here,but winter time views of the Cohutta Wilderness is nice.We have had bear walk up in the yrd when we where seting up a tent, and my yard ape ran on the porch and locked us out,it was classic.Lots of cridders in Norht GA,but there :rolleyes: is just as many hunters.I wonder what they think while they sit in ther tree stand,and sparky goes to grinding early in the morning.................IA ;)

cpsturrock

11-05-2005, 02:40 PM

My welding shop is located next to the house, on a 1/2 acre. It is a legitimate business, on paper. Cleints do buy work here at the shop.There are rentels across the street, and around me. I try to keep a low profile with the noise,7:00 am to 7:00 pm is legal. The code lady likes to keep the trucks and trailers parked on gravel. She all so says "Keep the grass cut" she believes it's a very big hobby. Over at city hall they have no idea what goes on around here, but they do drive by,and take a look at some of the larger pieces. I find that we artist bring something to any hood. You can be driving around and just know that a sculptor lives there. My neighbor's have a sculpture park out side there windows,and seem to enjoy the goin ons around here.

bluedogshuz

11-06-2005, 10:05 AM

Sounds very nice cpsturrock. I am sure welding would be out of the question in my neighborhood. I used to carve-saw stone, that was when the hippies were still here. I'm not sure I can do even that now. May have to model and cast arghhh!

G. Murdoch

11-06-2005, 11:57 AM

Greetings all,

Great thread, lots of LOL. My studio is on a stock farm about 10 kilometers outside of Calgary. I met the cattleman and his wife while serving them dinner at the restaurant I was working at in '01. They had an unused feed and seed shack sitting out in the field, said I was welcome to it. In '02 I framed up a 16' x 16' building using mostly reclaimed wood. It has a tarp roof. Real cowboy carpentry (don't measure, just eyeball it and go). Total cost about $400. I don't have heat, light, water, or power, run all my tools off a generator. The floor is a farm floor, no grading, gravel, subfloor etc... just original prarie. I have amassed a pretty good rock pile, and the cows don't care how much noise and dust I make. The price is right too, they don't want any rent money, I just drop off art and craft items at the house once in a while. My artist friends were amazed that I was able to find people sympathetic to a starving artist here in the heart of redneck cattle and oil country. I am deeply grateful to them.

All good things come to an end. The farmers recently accepted an offer on thier land from some property developers. I have to be out of there by October '06.

Because of all the noise and dust, the only appropriate options for studio space are rural areas or industrial areas. Industrial warehouse space is beyond my current budget, so the clock is ticking, I have to find a way to make enough $ to get an industrial lease, but at this point in my carreer, art income comes in trickles and occasional waves, while expenses are a steady stream.

I have faith that with discipline, and hard work, all will be well.

Graham

bluedogshuz

11-08-2005, 07:47 AM

Graham
I think it depends on whether you are attached to the urban environment. I have wrestled with this myself. It is getting harder to find industrial areas that are reasonable. On the cother hand if you live in the boonies then you don't have as much contact and it is more expensive to transport. I have noticed a number of sculptors have forgone the city for the country and seem to be making it. I am tied to the city for now and simply work with materials I wouldn't if I were in the wide open spaces. Its all about money and comfort, isn't that always the way?!

G. Murdoch

11-08-2005, 06:31 PM

Bluedog,

Greetings, I live a little further outside the city than my current studio space, am very attached to country livin', though I like going to the city almost everyday for a variety of reasons, human interaction topping the list. Industrial space in the city is pricey and getting worse as the local economy is pretty hot. Before I found my current space I had placed a classified ad in one of the local rural newspapers, inquiring if any farmers or ranchers had an unused barn or quonset for rent, got a few responses, by that time I had my current space. Will probably do a similar thing when I have to move. Do you currently live and work in the city? Are you able to be noisy and messy at the current location?

Graham

bluedogshuz

11-08-2005, 10:15 PM

I'm currently in between to spaces in the city. Got over extended on a commercial spot. Not much working area as it zoned office! In our zoning they allow artist studio and can sell my work there if I create it there. I thought it rather funny, welding, plastics etc next to attorney offices LOL
I have to move back to my neighborhood in the city.. got double lot and 700 sf garage, but welding etc is out. Not sure what my next move would be. Being near the water there is possibly an area near boat builders, I'm not sure yet. It is difficult to get that right balance though thats for sure...

sculptor

11-09-2005, 06:47 PM

Moving is a total pain in the ass, arms, legs, wallet etc
so
I built my studio attached to the other side of the garage from the house.
the commute is a breeze, and I can control the expenses and basicly do whatever I damned well please
I got a written varience from the local homeowners association before building the shop and studio and we're rural------no building or zoning codes just health codes governing the septic system

2k sq.ft super insulated (r-38-44 walls and r60 cieling) and well fenestrated (I'm in the office part now) it's my standard hangout
lower lever is wood working and carving
upper level is office-library and clay and casting studio with deck for casting resins when it's not too cold.

heated with wood and has a connection to the home heater for the lazy days
planted layers of trees as a windbreak spruce and pines in outer rows and arbor vitae as wings running sw-ne near the building
wood-stove is in bunker under the garage--surrounded by minimum 10 inches of concrete on all 6 sides---what a heat sink

snug as a bug

wind is howling out of the north west temperature is falling fast so maybe I'll go 'n build a fire

being rural I get few visitors, so need ISIS on the truck to reach out
but I like the privacy and quietude

I couldn't envision and other approach for my temperament

rod