Moving out of the studio...

and into my home. I've been bouncing this idea around for the last few weeks for two reasons.

1. Future Goals (Money). The biggest reason is that we (my husband and I) have other goals that we would like to accomplish and it will require us to concentrate our money. We are pretty good savers already but, the $575 dollars I spend on the studio would definitely help us get there a little faster.

2. Timing. I've been in the studio for about two and half years. It's not a very long time but, it has definitely been a huge learning experience. I feel like the $15,000 I spent on studio fees for the last two years was a very affordable tuition at an art school. The studio space has taught me to be disciplined with my painting habits, forced me to step outside my comfort zone and provided me an opportunity to meet new and like minded people in my community. It feels like I've developed a strong enough habit to withstand some change.

There are reasons for not giving up the space as well.

1. No space. We (husband, daughter and dog) live in a 900 square foot condo and there's not a lot of space left over. Especially for me to spread out like I can at my studio. You'd think painting just requires a corner, but I actually use lots of space when I'm working. I usually have two or three paintings going and they are pretty decent in size. I need a large flat table in order to varnish and storage space is essential. I would lose all of that if I moved into our home. My studio space would shrink to the corner of our bedroom and maybe storage in the garage.

2. Fear. I'm afraid that if I don't have a studio space, I won't paint as much. You would think that I would paint more if my studio is in my home but, there are a lot of distractions at home. Laundry in the corner, dinner needs to be made and the very inviting couch. Maybe I'm not as disciplined as I think.

So, I'm still thinking and haven't made any decisions yet. I don't want fear to stop me from trying new things but, I also don't want money to be the driving reason behind my decision. I might be saving money in the long run but, if it's not good for my peace of mind, then it's not worth it. And if I can't paint, I feel unsettled. What to do? What to do?