Storing Artwork

© by Carl (CAKUart); all rights reserved

Let's face it, not all of us want to sell all of our work. As a result, storing artwork safely is a factor we need to consider when holding onto those 2 paintings each year.

Two paintings? What do I mean by that?

Well, I have this theory that each artist should try and hold onto at least two pieces of their work each year.

"Yeah but Carl, I only produce two pieces each year!"

Gosh, then you do have a dilemma (wink).

But seriously, most artists selling their work produce a lot more work than just two pieces a year. So I encourage those that do produce a healthy batch of work each year; to try and hold onto a couple of pieces each year for prosperity.

As you grow as an artist, and the more renown you become as artist, so does the value in your work increase. So think of holding onto a couple of pieces each year as investing in your own work.

I know of artists who successfully sell their work and sell absolutely everything they produce… all of the time.

When I first started selling my art, I subscribed to the same theory of selling everything I produced - until I was advised by a wise soul. This lady, a great artist in her own right, encouraged me to hold onto some of my own work for the future. She enlightened me on the point I just made before; to invest in your own work.

Storing Artwork Safely

There is no question that when it comes to storing your artwork you need to ensure that the storage environment is free from a lot of traffic. Additionally, you should ensure the storage area is limited in extreme temperature changes. Avoid an area that is prone to humidity.

I have quite a bit of room in my studio. This is great because it allows for storing artwork I want to keep. But a lot of artists don't really have the facilities for storing artwork without cluttering their home or studio space.

So when it comes to storage space, it pays to be a little innovative.

I stumbled across a few great tips for storing artwork on Nita Leland's site. Nita has compiled a page that offers brief summaries from fellow artists who have contributed their ideas for storing artwork at home and in the studio.
 

Artwork Storage Wrapping

For big pieces, I use wooden slats to stack my work vertically. The slats allow for a gap so air can freely flow under the edges of the canvas. This essentially keeps my work directly off the floor.

To cover and protect from dust; I have my work wrapped in large sheets. The sheets are light and allow for air, and they are not directly wrapped to the surface of the painting. I know of some artists who use silicone release paper, so this is something you may want to consider also.

If you are storing framed paintings, you may want to consider bubble wrapping your artwork - particularly on the edges. Ideally, you'll want to prevent the wrap from touching the surface of the artwork.

Unfortunately I have experienced first hand the problems associated with packing wrap touching the surface of my artwork.

On one occasion, varnish from my painting became sticky, which was caused from the humidity in the room. As a result, the surface of the painting actually stuck to the bubble wrap.

I damaged the painting slightly when trying to separate the bubble wrap from the surface of the painting. So this is why I recommend that you avoid any type of material from resting on the surface of your artwork.

In addition to this, try to ensure that you don't have other objects or clutter surrounding your artwork. In the past I have been forced to store some of my work in an area that had a lot of non-artwork items. On one occasion a stack of boxes fell and landed on a couple of my paintings and completely ruined them. 

So the big tip is to make sure your artwork has it's own area, free from all other household items and studio equipment. 

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