Do It Your-Selfers: Don't Do This!!!!!

Some people get into reframing their old artwork. The enemy of this money saving effort is impatience. Doing the job right with patience is particularly important when you are reframing artwork on paper. There will be old tape and if you rip off the tape... the following WILL happen:
1. You will peel a surface layer of the paper off (see photo on right)
2. This will reduce the value of your artwork, if it is vintage and has value (this one does).
3. You will risk ripping the paper... which did not happen in the case of this photo.

This impatient do-it-your-selfer was "trying to be careful", felt she was "an experienced art handler" but couldn't stop herself! The result? A reduction of 20% in $3,500.00 value of the artwork when compared to a copy in pristine condition.

How to you avoid such a blunder? Dissolve the glue of the tape and lift off the tape CAREFULLY. Ask for guidance by a conservator or experienced framer. Be patient!

$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

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