When Your Art Goes on the Road

re: When Your Art Goes on the Road

K. Henderson — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 22:05:10 GMT

Most of my work is on gallery wrap canvas but when I'm required to frame I use nice but inexpensive frames. I have had so many frames damaged at shows and galleries that its not worth it it to buy an expensive frame.

re: When Your Art Goes on the Road

Paul Sullivan — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 22:48:11 GMT

I've been shipping paintings to various watercolor exhibitions all over the place for about ten years via Fed Ex and UPS. I use the "Strongbox" by Airfloat Systems. With a "Strongbox", I feel confident that a painting will make to an exhibit and back in good shape. If your painting has a frame with glazing, be sure to use plexiglas rather than glass.

The good thing about a "Strongbox" is that it can be used more than once. Last week I shipped a painting to California in the same box that I'd used previously to ship to Pennsylvania. And I'll probably use it again soon. They are well worth the investment and they are made for shipping paintings. The painting is counter sunk in foam rubber with a layer of foam rubber top and bottom.

Sooner or later even a "Strongbox" gets a little beat up. When that happens, I use the box for paintings I have to deliver locally.

re: When Your Art Goes on the Road

Tuva Stephens — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 11:27:48 GMT

The framing of a piece of your artwork can make or take away from a piece of art. Example, I was in a crunch and had to get a newly finished floral painting matted and framed. I used what I had available at home. When I got to the show a good friend, told me the mat and frame did nothing for the colorful "Red Iris". I knew it but I just needed someone to tell me! The local frame shop had to order the molding and time did not allow that. So we opted for a different mat,. and I returned the piece to the show with no comments from another friend. I realized I had to get a gold metal frame to really make the warmth of the painting pop with light. Although I did have to go to a larger city to get the frame, it was well worth it. I received Best Use of Color ($250) from the juror, noted artist Frank Webb. In the next show the painting won another color award, plus it sold. Since that time I have painted the same "Red Iris" three other times but a little different composition and sold all using the same type frame and matting.

re: When Your Art Goes on the Road

cooper2 — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 11:12:24 GMT

Hi Courtney,

I have a question for people on the other side of the issue---gellery directors who receive the work. How do they feel about boxes? Recently I had two paintings accepted into an exhibit, at a distant enough location that they had to be shipped. One of the paintings was 40 x 40 inches, which my standard source of boxes did not cover. I ended up using a pair of telescoping boxes designed for shipping a flat screen TV, purchased from UHaul. They were sturdy enough, but had an immense image of a TV on the sides, not to mention all kinds of UHaul advertising. Because they "telescoped" they had to be taped together with strapping tape. I often feel like I am the only one who has to resort to packaging like that----and would love to know if other people ship the same way. Does what the painting arrives in affect the gallery director's handling of the work, or even potential future interaction with the gallery? Thanks.

Cooper

karencooperpaintings.com

re: When Your Art Goes on the Road

Kisu — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 06:34:25 GMT

I've had a variety of experiences, ranging from neutral to very good. I haven't entered any exhibits where I couldn't hand deliver the work, so packing work for shipping hasn't been an issue for me so far, but could be in the future. Two out of three of my drawings accepted into a very large group exhibit were hung a bit too high, and because of that I don't think they could be properly seen, but that was entirely out of my control. Last month I had 3 pieces in a university group show--no competition, no awards, just art for art's sake--and it was really a very satisfying venue and event.

While I hate the idea of framing work to go in a gallery in a similar or consistent manner (because I think each piece calls for its own unique framing treatment as an individual piece of art), I am reluctantly going to start framing my work in a more uniform manner...grrr.