I'm investigating different options that I may want to use to mount smaller (12" x 12" and smaller) work, for show and sale. I think sometimes smaller fiber pieces can look like pot holders when hung, and I want to find a way to avoid that. Above are four different options I've played with so far, using stitched scraps hanging around my studio. They are mounted on 3" x 3" Mini Canvases from Dick Blick. The goal is a nice, but inexpensive, presentation.
These are the same mounted pieces, looking at them from more of a side view:
1 - The canvas has white velcro hooks stapled to the top and bottom of the canvas, into the wood. The stitched scrap has car headliner fabric stitched to the entire back of it. This fabric easily sticks to the Velcro hooks, but is much cheaper than Velcro. Unfortunately the headliner has .25" of foam attached to it, which not only makes it puffy, but I assume could also break down over time.
2 - The canvas has white velcro hooks stapled to the top and bottom of the canvas, into the wood. The stitched scrap has the fuzzy side of the Velcro stitched to the back of it, top and bottom. For this one, it's not puffy, but it does stick out away from the canvas quite a bit.
3 - The canvas has white velcro hooks stapled to the top of the canvas, into the wood. The stitched scrap has car headliner "fabric" stitched to the back of it top and bottom, minus the .25" of foam that WAS attached to it. I pulled the foam off, so this is much more successful, though not perfect.
4 - Elmers Glue applied to the entire to the top of the canvas. The stitched scrap was placed on top of the glue. It's on there forever. I know for a fact that Elmers Glue will not break down over time, because I have many handmade books with the covers held together with Elmers Glue, from my college bookbinding class in the mid-1970's, which are still in excellent shape. I love how flat this example is. It is a bit scary thinking about using the glue, but I think it's my best option.
I was hoping to find a way to mount my work, so it can be easily removed. My textile/mixed media artist hero is Dorothy Caldwell. Her small pieces are mounted with velcro so she can swap them in and out of her frame units. It's a very nice presentation, but much more labor intensive than what I'm considering, because I believe her frames need to be constructed individually.
I would very much appreciate any suggestions or feedback on any of my mounting examples, or any other ideas to consider. If you have anything to share, please write to me at jeanne@jeannewilliamson.com. Thanks.
