Works well....

My new display hanging system which I wrote about in my previous blog is working very well. Yes, I do have a sturdy chair for climbing on to reach the metal rod and by using the dog clips, when I want to remove the fabric I need only give it a gentle tug and it releases. No need to climb up again to remove.

I have however, made some wire 'S' hooks and can use these, instead of the dog clips, to hang a completed piece which does have the grommets. The grommets are always the very last thing to get done.

Now that I have this system operating I thought I would show you my previous piece completed before my latest piece (High Risers). I can now photograph the larger pieces more successfully. Both pieces are currently away at the photographers getting their 'proper' images taken.


© Diana Parkes 2010 A SENSE OF PLACE 188cm x 133cm / 74" x 53.5". Dyeing, discharge, printing and painting. Procion MX dyes, pigment, silk fabric, painted canvas mount.

Practical Matters

A couple of blogs ago I commented on the straight edges of my latest piece appearing curved in the photos. Ruthie Powers responded saying that camera lens are curved and that I needed to get back further from my piece to prevent the curving. Then of course crop out the surplus from around the edges. I always crop my photos anyway and can certainly understand what Ruthie is suggesting. Unfortunately the space where I hang my work is somewhat limited and I can only get back so far. This was not really a problem when I was working smaller pieces but now that I have gone BIG the problem is more noticeable.

Because of my current pieces being larger I have also had a problem hanging them on my display wall which is somewhat narrow and situated between two doors. For some time now I have been working through ideas for a satisfactory way to solve this problem.

Last week I did it. I purchased a metal rod, three brass cup hooks and hunted deep for six large dog clips which I knew I had somewhere. My studio has an open ceiling and rafters. I screwed the three cup hooks under the rafters and these now hold the metal rod. Then I placed the dog clips on to the rod. Now all I have to do is climb up on a chair, slip the top edge of a piece into the dog clips and hey presto, my piece hangs beautifully. I may be able to get back further too for photographing although I will need to stand on a chair.

Photo shows rafters, one cup hook, metal rod and dog clips, all working to hold a piece.