What is Art Storage?

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What are the next steps on the Triptik?

What is Art Storage. In the last blog post I talked about finding my way in this long, circuitous career. At the first of every year I sit down and write some goals for the year. It’s more like a task list in my case. My tasks this year revolve around taking care of the artwork and meeting with my attorney to update the estate plans as necessary.

My next step is to secure fine art storage.

I don’t mean art supply storage. Nor do I mean a moldy basement or an unheated or an un-air conditioned, un-insulated rental unit.

Why is this an important question?

Artwork is made, generally, for home or museum display. That means that at the very least it is not intended to be exposed to huge temperature swings on a daily basis. Painting, paper, textiles, concrete, bronze…you name it…all are affected by environmental conditions. Paint flakes, sometimes fades from sun exposure. Paper buckles in humidity changes. Textiles can get brittle, dusty, smokey, grimy, moldy. Concrete can crack and fall apart from freeze/thaw conditions. Bronze changes color in response to humidity and acid levels in the air… not always as intended. This list of perils is just off the top of my head.

Most professional artists make LOTS of artwork. Most professional artists do not have enough secure, climate controlled space in their studios or homes for storage. This is a particular problem for sculptors. Sculptures don’t fit in flat files. Boy do I wish they did!

My work is bulky and squashable. It must be boxed in specially built boxes to even be stored safely. Most estates of professional artists have to deal with remaining unsold artwork. Even wildly successful famous artists leave a bunch of un-sold work behind. Art Storage facilities can play a part in the needs of artists estates.

What to look for in fine art storage

Fine art storage is a specialty business providing particular services that any busy artists could use. The services that you should expect are:

Climate controlled storage
Security: cameras, sign-ins, alarm systems, specialty fire systems
inventory management
in and out service
art handlers
packing/crating and shipping
art transportation
meeting rooms
display rooms
isolation rooms for damaged or infested goods.

Why is this on my Triptik/Career Plan?

I do have a somewhat temperature controlled storage unit. It is an old office space in a typical, unheated drive-up storage warehouse. It is close to home, too. BUT, it doesn’t control the humidity. It is getting very, very full. It relies entirely on my ability to inventory what is there. It has an overhead sprinkler system that would ruin everything. There are no other services offered. I have a great padlock but security is minimal.

I am considering a more professional facility for the good of the artwork. For the services. It would offer me the space to do “studio/curator visits.” It has art handlers to help me as my body ages. It could become my shipper as well as my receiver. It will have superb records for my estate to work from in addition to my own record keeping, which is not half bad. I can set it up to continue caring for my work past my death if that is a sensible thing to do. At the very least I could buy my executor some time as they wade through the paperwork and stuff of an estate and do it with art handlers.

It comes at a price, of course.

I am just old enough to be required to take money from my IRA’s. That money is earmarked for the increase in price over the current rent I pay. So, in about a week, I will take people from the art storage facility to my storage unit so they can come up with a plan and an estimate.

STAY TUNED for the next steps!