Art is a diverse range of human activities and the product of these activities.  A piece of artwork is something that reflects a person’s personality and individuality. Whether you have purchased a painting or created one yourself, eventually you will redecorate and wish to store it. If the artwork is not stored properly, the painting will get damaged and repairing it can be costly, so art storage is must.

Excessive heat and cold will cause cracks. If you are dealing with a painting on canvas, first insure there is a backing board attached. If one is not already there, adding one will help provide physical protection from direct contact to the back of the canvas. Make certain you store your paintings vertically from largest to smallest and off of the floor. Raising them off of the floor promotes airflow which is a necessity and prevents mold and water damage. There are several ways for fine art storage, Instead of just rolling them and placing in a poster tube they should be kept flat to avoid wrinkles, fold and types of damage that can occur during folding the pieces. Below are some art storage solutions:

• Encapsulation: When you encapsulate your artwork, it is encased in a polyester film and when properly sealed, your artwork lives in a permanent microclimate.
• Mat board with a Wrapped Face Cover: This is used for one sided pieces. The art is kept between a sheet of polyester film and a sheet of rag or conservation mat board.
• Covered Window Mat: A covered window mat is recommended for use with works which need special protection while in storage, including pastels, graphite’s, charcoals and other fragile documents and pieces of art.  The work is matted, and then another sheet of mat board is placed on top and hinged on one side with pressure-sensitive linen tape.  The cover mat will protect the fragile piece, yet the hinge will allow you easy access to the piece for inspection.
• Solander Box: It is a special acid-free, airtight box with hinged front panels.  These boxes are ideal for storing unframed art, as the hinge allows you to easily add and remove pieces, but once closed the box will protect the work inside. 
• Deep sided storage boxes: These are made from acid free or rag mat board. It doesn’t create an airtight seal but it protects the work inside from dust, heat, light and humidity.

Talking about Framed art it should always be stored vertically and preferably in cabinets separated by foam or felt covered separations. All artwork framed or loose needs to be kept in a safe environment, preferably climate controlled, and away from mold and mildew, dust, insects, air pollutants, and out of damp and/or humid areas.  It is important to periodically examine your stored artwork to be sure no damage has occurred.