I wanted to start a series to answer some common questions about art collecting, preservation, and the like. Welcome to Art Collecting 101, Topic 3.
Question:
Can you tell me about general art preservation?
Answer:
Here is an overview of the basics: Keep all original art away from moisture, heat, and sunlight. A controlled environment is always best (basements, attics, and garages are not good environments for art). Oils from your hands (even clean, dry hands!) can damage art over time. Try to never touch the surface of your painting if possible (though, as discussed before, occasionally dusting with a clean, dry cloth on most surfaces is ok).
All art on paper should be framed behind plexiglass or glass with archival, acid-free materials. Using UV-coated glass is a great upgrade for extra protection for original art on paper (including drawings, pastels, watercolors, original prints, and paintings on paper).
If you have a very delicate, expensive, or antique piece of artwork, most experts also suggest not hanging the art on exterior walls; any external or outside-adjacent walls are more susceptible to changes in temperature, which can stretch or shrink your painting and cause cracking in the paint over time.
Check back for more posts in this series!
Photo by Anna Meyer Photo
Recently I visited the house and gardens at Dumbarton Oaks, an historic estate hidden away in residential Georgetown in Washington, D.C. I was awe-struck by the grounds, so tree-covered among the hills that you forget you're not in the middle of the countryside!
I took several weeks in June and July and experimented with acrylics on raw canvas for the first time. I mostly work on wooden panel and paper in my current practice, and it's been years since I worked on canvas.
After nearly 4 years, I am finally re-exploring florals in a full collection!
