Q: I currently keep all of my finished oil and pastel paintings in my Manhattan studio. In the winter, the studio gets very hot because I can't control the heat. Can the extreme temperature hurt my paintings?

A: Extreme changes in temperature are harmful to all works of art. A quick, or even a relatively slow change in temperature can cause stress on a painting, such as cracks in a paint layer or on the surface. I would recommend constructing an interior closet in the studio that is as far away as possible from the heat source. You can install a simple thermometer to monitor the temperature, and store artworks there when you are away from the studio. Another recommendation is to install ceiling fans to circulate the air and moderate the extreme heat.