The grand finale of any artwork comes with some mundane tasks. Labeling, wiring, varnishing, photographing number among them. All are important. I place as much love and care into these last few details as the rest of the work. Gallery owners appreciate it and so do my clients.

A finale requires attention
After I place the metallic circles within the image I place the work in a corner for a while. Stepping back to contemplate the whole, I decide if the piece is finished. If it is, I usually write a poem at this point. Framing is not one of my concerns. So,I finish the edges of the canvas as an extension to the image. Labour intensive, it leaves the viewers with an excellent impression of quality.

Fixative then isolation
The poem and the Bible quote embellish the surface of the work, semi-hidden. A quick coat of reworkable varnish stabilizes the ink and the watercolour pencil before I apply the isolation coat. An isolation coat is a wise addition for acrylic or mixed media paintings. It binds with the paint underneath forming a protective surface. When it is dry, one applies two coats of varnish on top. Should the masterpiece need cleaning at some time in the future, one can easily remove the varnish, as it is designed to do, and reapply it without harming the original image.


Wiring
Once the varnish has dried I flip the painting over and install the wire for hanging. Plastic coated wire with D-rings are my weapons of choice. The system easily supports my large canvases and protects the fingers of those handling the piece in shipment and for display.

Labeling
The finale includes labeling the work and writing out the poetry on the back to the left. On the right I inscribe the title, the materials, my name and the inventory number of the work. Inventory numbers are another essential ingredient. They help keep track of the work produced in any given year.

A laminated card
In addition, I place a laminated card next to the display. Each has a small photo of the artwork, the poetry and an insight into the inspiration for the painting. I select the photo from those taken for inventory and advertising purposes. Consequently, I photograph each work of art using several different settings. Email uses lower settings, publishing uses higher. Another important ingredient to success.

Upcoming event
Speaking of success, I am one of five artists collaborating on an installation which explores the creative process from inspiration to completion “Devenir”. Our show is coming soon.