Displaying Your Art Part Two

Hanging Your Art

I have a friend who is very short, under five feet in fact, and all the art in her home is hung very low, just about my chest height. While it's uncomfortable for me to look at (hunched over, head lowered), it's at her eye level and she likes it that way. I can understand. It's her home and she's had a lifetime of looking up at things.

Then there's art that's hung too high. A Thai restaurant in our town has some delightful art from Thailand on its walls. The problem is, the art is hung so high, near the ceiling in fact, that you can't take in the details. For most people the work is too fine and intricate to be viewed at such an angle and distance, unless they are in the NBA.

In both of these situations, the art did not seem to be hung to the best advantage and interfered with my viewing pleasure. When hanging art in your home, ask yourself, who do I want to enjoy this work? Is it for me only or do I want others to enjoy it too? What is your ceiling height? What is the scale of the furniture in the room? 

The general rule of thumb is to hang your art at eye level. Of course, since people vary in height, this leaves a lot of room for interpretation. 

When you hang art, it's best to have at least two pairs of hands and eyes available to accomplish the task, one person to hold the art and move it around, one to see what wall placement works best. Then trade off. Share opinions. Always mark your final decision with a pencil. The old adage, "measure twice, cut once" applies here with a slight variation, "measure twice, nail once." You don't want to end up with a lot of unwanted holes in your walls.

If you would like to do a wall grouping using several pieces you can avoid a cluttered look by using similar frames and the same matting on all the pieces. Also, do a layout on the floor with the art before you attempt to hang it. Block out the allotted wall space with easy to remove blue painter's tape and work within those same perimeters on your floor layout.

When you have artwork professionally framed, the framer will usually provide you with the hanging hardware. They may also indicate on the hanging wire at what distance apart you should place the hardware. If the piece is large or heavy, two separate hangers are a good idea to distribute the weight.

If you need to purchase the hardware, there are hooks and nails specially designed for hanging art. On the package it will indicate the weight tolerances of the hardware. Always use this special hardware, easily found in home improvement stores and frame shops, to assure your art is secure on the wall and to prevent damage to your walls.

Framed art can also be effectively displayed on decorative easels. These can be large floor models or small easels designed for table surfaces. It is also popular these days to lean art against the wall so it can be easily moved around.

If you purchase art from a local gallery, they may even deliver and hang the art for you as part of their service.
One more thing—another of those darn cautionary notes—be especially careful when hanging works on paper. Even if they are framed in Plexiglas they are still subject to fading. Do not hang in direct sunlight and do not hang in a steamy bathroom. It's okay for inexpensive decorative prints (they can be replaced), but not valuable works on paper. Moisture, as well as sunlight, is their enemy. 


Rotating Your Collection

Let's say that over time you have acquired a sizeable art collection and you are running out of display or wall space. You love your art, but your surroundings are becoming all too cluttered. You realize the importance of retaining negative space, a place for the eye to rest, so that the art can be fully enjoyed. You don't wish to sell or give any of the art away. What do you do? Move?

One of the best solutions is to rotate your collection. That means, you either display it in another room, put it away completely for a while, or both. Storing art, if done properly, is not a bad thing. In fact, when it's been out of sight for a while and reappears as part of your life again, it's like seeing an old friend. This may sound odd—but I've noticed this in galleries when we'd put art away and then bring it back out later—the art had regained some lost energy, appearing rested and fresh like it had been on vacation.

When we talk about storing art this does not mean in a storage locker. No, no, no. Do not let it leave your premises. It should reside in a safe, dry space in your abode where you can keep an eye on it. Framed works can be stored vertically, each piece separated by large pieces of cardboard or carpet so the frames do not bang together and get dented, chipped or scratched. In addition, wrapping framed art in old sheets while it's being stored will protect it from dust, dirt, and critters.

A word about loaning out your art—do so at your own risk. It could get lost, stolen or damaged. Even museums, with all their expertise, have been known to misplace or inadvertently damage art.

Also, with unframed works on paper or oils on canvas that have been removed from their stretcher bars, do not leave them rolled up in tubes. A good idea is to store them horizontally in what are known as "flat files." These stacked, shallow drawers made of wood or metal are designed for the storage of unframed art and are available at large art supply stores and catalogs such as Daniel Smith.


Restoration

Just a few words here. If you have a print that has stains or small tears around its borders you can take it to fine paper conservators for restoration. They can eliminate most stains and make small tears invisible.

One more thing— if you are considering the purchase of an expensive old oil painting, take it to a restorer before you commit to the sale. He or she will use a "black light" to see into the pigment and determine how much if any restoration work has been done. It's not unusual for older works to have some restoration in their history. However, if the piece has been coated with too much shellac by incompetent restorers, the original work can often be lost. This can take a significant toll on the painting's value.

Cleaning and Maintenance

We're almost finished. There are just a few housekeeping tips you should be aware of. One is, never use Windex on Plexiglas. Don't get me wrong, Windex is a fine product, but it's not meant for "plex." Repeated use can cause the surface to pit. There are special polishes formulated for use on plex but I find a light dusting with a soft cloth (never paper towels) or feather duster works well. To remove finger prints or smudges, a soft cloth dampened with a little rubbing alcohol accomplishes the task just fine.

The beauty of oil paintings is that the surface is washable. Here in Hawaii where I live we have these friendly little critters called geckos that live indoors as well as out. They are a fact of life. They're kind of fun to have around but they do leave little "calling cards" here and there. Since geckos can run up a wall as well as across it, it isn't unusual to find droppings on the surface of your art.

I clean the paintings in my collection by using a soft cloth moistened with a little (mild) soapy water. If you are careful not to stretch or poke the canvas and use a light touch, no worries.

This does not mean you should make a habit of touching the surface of your oil paintings. It's not beneficial to add your skin oils to the canvas. I've heard too that it can take up to twenty years for an oil painting to dry completely after it's been painted. Sculptures you can touch, and are meant to be touched. Oils are not.

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