Caring for Your Art

Framing, placement, and living with it over time

Living with art isn’t about preserving it at a distance. It’s about learning how to live alongside it—allowing it to settle into your space while giving it just enough care to last.

Over time, we’ve realised that most artworks don’t need much. Just a bit of attention, and a sense of where and how they sit.

Works on Paper
(drawings, prints, photographs)

These tend to be the most sensitive—and the most quietly rewarding to live with.

We almost always recommend framing them behind glass or acrylic. Once that’s done well, they’re surprisingly low-maintenance.

What matters most is where they’re placed:

• Direct sunlight will slowly fade them
• Humidity can cause subtle warping over time

Cleaning is simple—just the glass, never the artwork itself.

If properly framed, they tend to take care of themselves.

Canvas
(paintings, acrylics, oils)

Canvas works are more forgiving, but not indestructible.

A soft brush or dry cloth is enough to keep them clean. We usually avoid touching the painted surface altogether—especially with more textured works.

If something feels uncertain, it’s best left alone. With paintings, restraint is often the better instinct.

Textile Works
(fabric, embroidery, mixed fibre)

These respond most to their environment.

Light, dust, and humidity all play a role over time, so placement becomes important. We tend to think of framing here less as presentation and more as protection.

Even a simple frame or shadow box can make a significant difference.

Mixed Media Works

These are often the most complex—and the least predictable.

When multiple materials come together, there isn’t a single rule that applies. The safest approach is usually the simplest: minimal handling, no moisture, and a bit of distance from environmental extremes.

When in doubt, do less.

Framing as Protection

Framing changes everything.

It’s not just about how a work looks—it’s what allows it to live easily within a space.

We usually think of a good frame as something that quietly supports the work:

• UV-protective glass where possible
• Proper backing and sealing
• A balance between presence and restraint

When done right, it removes the need to worry.

Placement and Environment

Where a work sits often matters more than how it’s cleaned.

We’ve found that most pieces do best in:

• Soft, indirect light
• Spaces away from heat and dampness
• Walls where they aren’t competing for attention

Giving a work a little room around it allows it to hold its own presence.

Handling and Moving

This is where most damage tends to happen.

Simple habits go a long way:

• Clean, dry hands
• Holding by the frame or edges
• Wrapping carefully when moving

For larger or more delicate works, it’s often worth not doing it yourself.

Living with Art

Caring for art doesn’t require precision or perfection.

It’s quieter than that.

A bit of dusting. Thoughtful placement. Occasional attention.

Over time, the work settles in. It becomes less something you look at—and more something you live with.