$25,000 fell off the wall!

Even if you think you have a strong enough wire on the back, the eye hook that attaches the wire to the frame could pull out if the screw hole has been used over and over. Even if you have the artwork's hanging hardware looking good, you might have it barely hanging onto a nail on the wall! Even if you think its a good sturdy nail, it could pull out of the plaster wall board fairly easily. In other words, the weakest link will be the one that causes the whole thing to come crashing to the floor... JUST LIKE THIS $25,000 PAINTING!

If you live in hurricane or earthquake country, I'M TALKING TO YOU. But I've seen hanging items come off the wall with as little as a sonic boom and playing rambunctious kids. For additional suggestions about shake proofing your hanging artwork, look for an article on www.preservationcoach.com

Do you SHIP Art Work?

Do you SHIP Art Work?  Make sure you know the PACKING RULES for shipping ART! You do not want it to look like this when it arrives from the east coast!  Do you have a carrier you trust?  Do you have bubble-wrap and 2 sheets of cardboard for the front and back? Do you have a crate for over-sized work? Do you have 2 boxes that allow at least 4 inches around or on each side when packed? That is...AFTER it is wrapped with bubble-wrap.
The rules:  Wrap with bubble-wrap using clear tape (a tape gun makes it easier), 1 pc.of card board on each side, front & back, then double-boxed and sent off with INSURANCE and with an experienced mail carrier!  You can also call an art transport truck if there are multiples or over-sized pieces. There are art carriers who do it for a living!  Ask us!  We are here to help you with all your preservation, conservation & restoration questions about art and of course YOUR STUFF!

Heart Breaking Damage. KNOW how to pack ART for SHIPPING?

OH no! KNOW how to pack ART for SHIPPING?  Yep, you guessed it!  A really BAD packing job and then shipped cross-country! An incredible piece of art now having LOST its value, must somehow be restored, re-framed and made to at least LOOK normal.  The glass broke, the frame broke, both scratched its way across the fine art print and then it fell out of the shipping box and was trampled!  First of all...ALWAYS double box!  Keep at least a 4" wall of peanuts or bubble pack around your artwork...in both boxes.  If you have an art object and it can be taken apart...disassemble before packing...pack accordingly.  I like to wrap with bubble pack and THEN add a piece of corrugated cardboard to FRONT and BACK.  This should NEVER happen to YOU!  Also....choose a reputable shipping agent....choose wisely!  The best way to honor an artist!

A little "do-it-yourself" tip for Gold Leaf flaking!

Today in the lab we "consolidated" a frame whose GOLD LEAF was flaking off!  It was a crude heavy frame from a road side stand in Mexico.  The gold leaf was loose and unstable. This is a do-it-yourself-at-home-tip to stop it from completely flaking off until you can get it to a conservator.  With a small pointed brush and a small amount of acrylic varnish or even watered down wood glue (water soluable) "dropped" into a crack can stop the problem ...for now!  This is just a quick fix to stabilize the frame. But to do it right...get it to the Fine Art Conservation Lab!  email us @ best_artdoc@yahoo.com