Soon I’m taking more new artwork to the Caplan Art Designs gallery. I’ve put the hanging wire on the backs of the latest 3 new works and as I worked I thought of various things I’ve learned, over the past umpteen years as a professional artist, about prepping artwork for display and delivery.

Here are 10 tips along with a picture of me wiring one of my new pieces:

1. Assemble all necessary tools before beginning. Having to stop and hunt for something interrupts the Zen-cool I find is necessary to do a good hang-wire job.

2. Place the artwork face down on a soft surface large enough to hold my art and my tools.

3. Put the clearly typed label on the back of the artwork in the correct position so that I always know which end is “up”.

4. Use quality “D” rings and screws – NOT the saw-tooth hangers or any other cheap-o hanging method that will come loose over time and let the art fall to the floor unexpectedly.

5. Pre-drill the holes in the wood where the screws will go. (Measure for hole placement at least 2 times)

6. Carefully remove any drill-dust so it will not transfer to and/or mar the art surface.

7. Put a bit of Liquid Nails onto the tip of the screw just prior to screwing it into wood so that the screw will not come loose.

8. Use coated hanging wire – even if it is more expensive –  it is kinder to my hands, my gallery owners hands and ultimately my client’s hands. Leave enough slack in the wire that a hand can easily reach behind and position it over a hook.

9. Do the best to make the backs of the artwork as neat as the front. The wire and label matter because without them there will be nothing on the wall for anyone to see. Without a clear label the gallery owner won’t know what art is what – and thus won’t display it. How art looks on the wall is often all down to the wire. Literally.

10. During delivery – aka stacking art in the car in prep for driving to the gallery in a Zen-cool calm fashion – nest the artworks together face to face – i.e the face of one artwork next to the face of another artwork – with some soft padding between them like a towel or blanket, using the Russian-doll method of stacking; largest on bottom and in succeeding sizes until the smallest is on top.  (Shipping art is another topic…)

Sue Clancy in her studio wiring her fine art in preparation for an exhibit

Details about my upcoming exhibit is here: fb.me/1pQ0TfItC