WHERE THE CREATIVE FORCE BEGINS.

Byline: Rob Lowman Entertainment Editor

SKYWALKER RANCH - Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) and George Lucas: One created icons of American life in the first part of the 20th century, the other a galaxy of space ships and robots far, far away.

So it might seem odd that paintings by the American master decorate the main house at Lucas' Skywalker Ranch in the Marin County community of Nicasio. But there is little about the 5,000-acre property that screams Death Stars and light-sabers except, lest we forget, they were from a ``long time ago.''

The main house, started in 1983 and finished in '85, is a white Victorian-style mansion. Inside there are acres of wood - much of it redwood salvaged from old bridges near Newport Beach - plus Tiffany lamps, early black-and-white American photography and at least one grandfather clock. The books in the library came from a portion of the Paramount Studio research library when it was sold off. The famed sound-production facilities are also on site. Many filmmakers, including Lucas' friend Steven Spielberg, come up to work on their films here.

Lucas does not live in the main house, which also is used for meetings and conferences. He lives in a smaller house on the property.

The grounds include a fitness center, a 24/7 fire department, an animal center and, of course, the two-story red-brick tech center, which is decorated with old movie posters like the French one with James Dean in ``Rebel Without a Cause.'' Inside is a green-and-white art-deco-style theater with a hooded ``Star Wars'' figure flanking both sides of the screen.

Grapes and olives are grown in fields that nestle among the rolling hills. The grapes are sent to the nearby winery of Lucas' mentor, Francis Ford Coppola, where they are turned into wine.

Joining the Rockwells in the main house is a painting by Maxfield Parrish (1870-1966). The two artists may seem a strange choice for collecting by a man who is living on the cutting edge of technology, but when you think about it, it makes sense.

Rockwell may represent an idealized vision of American life, which - without trying too hard - can be seen at the heart of ``Star Wars,'' while Parrish, with his dreamy, romantic landscapes often populated by gnomes, dragons and elves, likely speaks to Lucas' imaginative fantasy side. Parrish's influence can be seen in ``Star Wars'' in the sun-dappled scenes on Naboo, Padme's idyllic home world and the place where she and Anakin fall in love.

Sometime this summer, the ranch is expected to become a lesser part of the Lucas empire when his new $350 million, 850,000-square-foot Letterman Digital Arts Center, located on the former Presidio army base in San Francisco, opens. The center, which will employ some 1,500 people, will house Industrial Light & Magic, the effects division of Lucasfilm; LucasArts, the gaming branch; and Lucasfilms' narketing, online and licensing units.

The ranch will continue to house Skywalker Sound and be a place where filmmakers can gather - and, no doubt, grow grapes.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, box

Photo:

(1) George Lucas in his office at Skywalker Ranch

(2) Skywalker Ranch

(3) no caption (``Star Wars'')

Box:

THE `STAR WARS' SAGA, BY THE NUMBERS

SOURCE: Lucasfilms