PAINTING BOXES

Delivering a show requires a lot of behind-the-scenes prep work even after all the paintings are completed. First comes the varnishing. This is the most nerve-wracking part of finishing up for me—and for many artists I talk to. Will a bug fly in it? Will the varnish sit properly? I hold my breath.

Then comes the framing and wiring—just wiring for me. And finally making the boxes for the paintings. This pretty much takes a whole day depending the quantity and sizes of the work. I take foam core sheets and cut tops and sides measured to match all my pieces. Then I cut a sheet of silicone release paper to sit inside each one. This paper sits between the box lid and the face of the painting and won’t let anything stick to it. Finally I start assembling my boxes. I use linen hanging tape ( book binding tape) to attach the sides to the top. I could use packing tape, but the linen tape is more flexible and doesn’t get caught on anything.

After all this the paintings are finally ready to head to be photographed /scanned before loading in to the gallery.