Q: I currently keep all of my finished oil and pastel
paintings in my Manhattan studio. In the winter, the studio gets very
hot because I can't control the heat. Can the extreme temperature hurt
my paintings?
A: Extreme changes in temperature are harmful to all works of
art. A quick, or even a relatively slow change in temperature can cause
stress on a painting, such as cracks in a paint layer or on the
surface. I would recommend constructing an interior closet in the
studio that is as far away as possible from the heat source. You can
install a simple thermometer to monitor the temperature, and store
artworks there when you are away from the studio. Another
recommendation is to install ceiling fans to circulate the air and
moderate the extreme heat.