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Richmond NSW 2753
Phone (02) 4502 8980
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ASA Conservation Framing

Newsletter - January 2012

 

Our newsletters will

  • give you exclusive offers
  • inform you why the correct framing is so important for the longevity and health of your artworks. Only through information can you make the right choices
  • keep you up to date with what is happening in the ASA workshop
  • tell you about related topics that might interest you

 
Picture Frame Hire Service

A first in Australia and an exciting new addition to our existing services.
If you are looking for frames for a temporary exhibition, don’t buy them, save the money and hire them from us!
We mount your artworks into quality archival mounts for you and frame them into the hire frames. After the exhibition you keep your mounts and the frames stay with us or you can sell them if you like. We have a range of standard sizes and finishes available.
Read more about this service on our website!

Know your enemies

There are four main contributing factors that lead to the deterioration of artworks.
  • UV light
  • moisture
  • acidity
  • temperature
UV light contributes to the fading of colours in artworks. It also speeds up the development of acids in the artwork itself and possibly in the mountboard and backing boards if non-conservation materials have been used. UV light also contributes to the shortening of paper fibers in conjunction with acid, therefore making the artwork more brittle.
 
Moisture is the main contributing factor in the growth of mould inside the picture frame.
 
Acid – it causes yellow/brown staining of mostly paper-based artworks, it affects colours and makes artworks brittle.
 
Temperature is a factor that speeds up all other processes that might be happening inside your frame. If you have acid-buildup, it will accelerate it - if you have mould growth due to moisture, it will grow even faster.
 
Mould is a major problem and arises mostly from a combination of the other four enemies being present, such as high moisture and temperature. Mould spores are almost always present, our aim in conservation framing is to create an environment in which the mould spores are not encouraged to become active and grow.
 
Heat is a problem that has to be indirectly regulated by yourself. Wherever possible, try not to hang your framed artworks in places where direct sunlight falls on the art. Imagine a greenhouse in the garden and what happens inside when the morning sun rises ... there is a sudden build-up of temperature and also of UV light. After the sun has passed and no longer shines into the frame, the temperature drops quickly and there is the possibility of condensation forming – and you are presented with your next worst enemy – moisture.
 
Rapidly fluctuating temperatures from hot to cold are always a lot worse than steadily and slowly increasing and de-creasing levels of temperature. During gradual changes the risk of condensation is much lower.
 
In the next issue of this newsletter I will talk about how the right choice of conservation framing materials fights the main enemies of artworks.  


Offer to newsletter subscribers

Print out a copy of this newsletter and receive a free upgrade to double mounts on your next framing order!
This offer is valid from now until the end of March 2012
 

WEBSITE

We are constantly updating our website and have recently re-uploaded an article that has by now become a bit of an old favorite of many clients. Have a look at “How healthy is my framed artwork?” for a quick check to see if any of your framed pieces are in need of attention.

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Framing that cares for your art