Chapter Three: CARE OF FINE ART

Copyright 2004 by Carol Pomeroy

Caring for your fine art can be a challenge in my opinion, because environmental enemies abound in the home. When you cook, turn on a hot water faucet, take a shower, turn on the lights, use hot or cold air vents, or light a fire in the fireplace, you are creating a “hostile environment” for your paintings.

A home is not a museum with the atmosphere maintained just right for the oil paintings and watercolors, with temperatures of 70 degrees and a humidity of 50%.

Often the fine art in our homes represents an investment of money and love. For such treasures, we should have a stable climate, and should put up a hard fight against the enemies that would destroy our fine art.

To help control fluctuating temperatures, use thermostats and dehumidifiers and keep the air moving by using fans. Paintings may become brittle if the room is too dry and cold. If the humidity is too high, small brown spots, or foxing, or mildew can ruin paintings. Always hang your oil paintings away from radiators.

Experts agree that over the fireplace is a fine focal point for a painting. However, the heat and soot may be devastating to a fine painting. If you do hang a painting there that you treasure, you may regret it in time.
If you insist on hanging an oil painting over the mantel, check often for soot, smoke, soil and changes in its appearance.

The idea of hanging fine art in the kitchen or bathroom is hard to resist. As in hanging a painting over the fireplace, count the cost of your investment. Grease, steam and acid deposits will form a gummy film on your fine art.

Strong, direct sunlight on a painting can leach the pigment and turn a watercolor or pastel into a faded picture. A pastel can change in weeks. Oil paintings will take longer. Place your fine art where it is not exposed to strong morning or afternoon sun. Pull the shades when the sun is bright.

If you want to illuminate your art, the safest way is with a spot or floodlight three or four feet away from the painting, or track lighting, focused from the ceiling several feet away.

If it is feasible, why not rotate your paintings, provided they are not huge paintings. Now, with modern day technology, you could use your computer to make a plan before moving the actual paintings. Take photographs of them first with a digital camera with a memory card ….. line them up to see what arrangement you like best. This could also be done with just the photographs on a desktop…but is much easier to do on the computer.

Over the years I have found that hanging like with like, such as the same artist’s works, or different artist's paintings with a theme, creates wonderful results. But, sometimes just by moving them, you will find an even better “light” for them. Planning many champagne receptions in my gallery made me more aware of finding just the “right light”, in other words, hanging that special painting in the “best light” shows it off in such a way that you feel even more appreciation for that special painting…or, for that matter, a group of paintings. Another advantage is: Putting them in the best possible light can be a breathtaking change…and will show again the versatility of what you have selected for your collection in yet another way.

Try not to hang a costly painting flat against the wall. Tilt it out from the top and use wedges at the lower corners to push it out to let the air circulate behind it. Also, from time to time check the wires and screw eyes to be sure they are strong and in good shape. A fall to the floor can tear the canvas of an oil painting or shake the pigment off a pastel.

If a valuable oil painting is damaged, take it to a professional restorer. Put it only into the hands of a qualified expert recommended by a museum, university art department or a reputable art gallery. (What about taking it to the gallery or artist who painted it, if possible, for restoration?) Just as you would hate the thought of sending your children or grandchildren into a hostile environment, decide whether the environment where you place your prized paintings will be beneficial or detrimental to their health and longevity.

And, after doing all you can, enjoy your beautiful art. You want them to last a long, long time. Your art treasures are worth the extra effort you put into protecting them.