Shipping Work

Next week USArt will be here to pick up my sculptures heading out to Idaho. This is the first time I am dealing with pro art shippers. Usually I am the one responsible for shipping and I build a crate and send it off via my FedEx account. So far I have never had any issues with them. But this time the gallery decided to pay for all shipping. Good thing as the works they wanted are to big and heavy and there is no way I could have afforded that expenditure.

 It's pretty exciting when a gallery really wants specific works and is willing to spend thousands to ship it. It is a bit of an ego booster I will admit. The pieces going include eight 96" long boats and eight cast iron paddles weighing some 45 pounds a piece as well as a few other steel pieces and a cast iron house. Apparently the shippers have what is called a courier service that allows for work to be soft packed, so no crates. Phew, that is a relief. However I do need to soft pack very carefully. After a search of local businesses I was able to find Newell Paper and can get a 4' x 250' roll of corrugated cardboard and 4' x 250' roll of bubble wrap for decent prices. I never use packing tape as it totally destroys plastic and bubble wrap. I use that shrink wrap stuff that comes on a roll ready to use. I will make sure I include some with the art works so the gallery has no excuse to use tape when shipping back.

Fresh painted "boats" ready for packing and shipping to Idaho.

Packaging materials are a big expense that many artists just swallow when doing shows, No one realizes that it can cost hundreds of dollars to get work ready to ship. Nothing is worse than getting your work back only to find that every square inch of it is covered in packing tape. Evil stuff! This happened with my last show. I had to throw away almost all of my bubble wrap. This time I will make a special note and even speak personally with the gallery staff about not using tape. I don't think this will be a problem though, so far Roger Rowley, the Pritchard Art Gallery director has been super professional and very helpful. It has been an excellent experience working with them so far.


Next week will be packing week and then the expected pick-up date will be Feb 7-8. All the work has been freshly painted and oiled and is ready to go. As it turns out I probably will be able to go to the opening on February 22 and even get there a few days early to do some grad studio visits and see the area. I am very excited as I hear that part of Idaho is extremely beautiful.