Protect your Art




Whether you are an artist or a collector you need to protect your art. Not just from theft, but from fire, water damage, light, heat, damp etc. 
Art works come in many forms, from stone, metal, canvas, paper, plastic, fabric, ceramic, glass, plastic and combinations of all those. 
Metal and stone my be left outside but then you need to think about security. Is it on a solid surface and won't topple over? Can it easily be lifted and therefore "lifted"?
Glass and ceramics also need to be on a solid surface to avoid risk of breakage and damage. Either put them in a display case or keep them away from children, dogs, cats and all clumsy adults. 
Works on canvas, paintings, paper art including photography should be correctly attached to a wall to avoid falling. A light painting will suffer damage to the stretcher and could tear if it falls even a short distance.  If your works are very valuable they should also be screwed to the wall and not just hung. Many of these fragile works should also be kept away from direct sunlight as well as heat sources and that includes radiators and televisions. The same applies to damp. Damp can cause damage that can never be repaired. You might have seen books and watercolour paintings with spots, well, these spots can never be removed, so it's best to avoid that happening in the first place. 
A cold unheated house can get quite damp during winter and even during a damp summer. A steamy bathroom will not beneficial either so if you do have art work (not works on paper obviously) in the bathroom, make sure it's well ventilated and aired after your bath or shower. 
Don't forget insurance. Many artists and even collectors do not have adequate insurance. If your home is already insured then you might be covered, but it's work checking to see if it covers the value of each item or just a global amount. Most people are under insured and if that is your case and you have to make a claim, the insurance company will regard you a being a co-insurer and will not fully compensate you in case of loss, fire, theft, damage and so on. Ask your agent, it wont cost anything to check and if you have several art works have a per-item insurance. The extra cost could be minimal and well worth it. 
Lastly, take photographs of your work, including jewellery, watches and any other items such as family heirlooms, furniture or expensive acquisitions. Keep the purchase receipts and store them in a safe place such as a metal box, vault or as a last resort in a trusted friends/family's home or filing cabinet. If you home goes up in smoke there is not much point if the photos and documents are in cinders too. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Glass Bottles

Back to Work

Start your own original art collection #originalart #collectart #buyartonline