Going Frameless: Art on Paper in Your Home
So you’ve just acquired an original artwork on paper. Congratulations!
A beautiful custom frame can truly elevate the look of your new work on paper in your home. It can also be quite costly. There are, however, alternatives for displaying works on paper in your home without incurring the expense of framing.
Going Frameless
It has to be said that going frameless won’t protect artwork on paper from damage that might happen if it gets knocked about or offer protection to the work from UV rays.
There are times however, with a small or inexpensive work, that displaying it without a frame is convenient and fun. If the work is handled with consideration and care, it can be successfully displayed without a frame for years.
Before beginning
Choose a spot for display that is away from direct sunlight and is not in a location where people or pets walking past could damage the work.
Avoid displaying a work on paper in a humid environment such as a kitchen or bathroom.
Handle your work on paper with clean or gloved hands and be gentle so as to avoid damage to the paper. While a mat is not necessary, a simple mat attached to the work will provide it with more rigidity and protection to the edges which are the most vulnerable to damage. A light dusting from time to time is all that is needed to keep your artwork looking its best.
Displaying art on a wall
Bulldog clips
Thumbtacks and mini bulldog clips.
Available in a range of sizes, bulldog clips are a simple and effective way to display paper works on a wall.
I’ve used small 15mm clips to display a series of collages on paper in a grid, each attached to the wall with clear tacks. Simply attach the clip to the top corners of the artwork and then thread one side of the clip over a tack before pressing the tack into the wall.
If your work on paper is larger, you could try using one or two bigger and chunkier clips for a bold statement.
Use large headed nails and magnets for an elegant display.
Magnets
This next little trick was learned from my friend, artist and curator Sarah Beveridge, owner of Blue Thornbury. Using two large headed nails, like box nails, Sarah taps the nails into the wall at a distance that is slightly narrower than the width of the artwork. She then secures the work on paper to the nail heads with a couple of small round magnets. It’s a simple and elegant presentation.
Displaying art on a shelf or tabletop
Styling a shelf or tabletop with a small, unframed work of art is easy using a place card holder.
This method works best with relatively stiff paper, such as watercolour paper or cardstock, similar to the kind used to make these mini paintings.
Deep dive, part of my small works on paper series, available matted and ready to frame.
Tabletop easels are another convenient way to display artwork on a table or shelf. These work especially well with work on paper that has been matted.
And lastly, a piece of artwork on sturdy paper or supported by a mat can simply be propped on a shelf. A weight may be needed in front of the paper to prevent it from sliding forward but a pretty stone could work very well for this job.
There’s no doubt that a beautiful mat and frame can enhance the presentation and enjoyment of a work of art on paper. I’ve had many works on paper professionally framed over the years, but there are times when I’ve chosen to display artwork on paper without a frame as well. Handled with care, going frameless can be a charming and unexpected way to display art on paper.
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