A couple of weeks ago seven of my paintings were destroyed when a pipe in my friends house burst and their kitchen ceiling fell in. Wrecked artworks are the least of their problems really, but I will be sad not to see these works when I visit Wellington next. The downfall with gouache is that it doesn’t like moisture – So water damage means they’re pretty much gonners.
Because these were earlier works of mine they were block mounted, which I now wouldn’t recommend if you actually want your pictures to last – I also seal them with multiple layers of mat or gloss varnish now for further protection. But in the end : Varnished, sealed or framed. Water and artwork just don’t mix well. 
Doing up a quote for their insurance really made me question the value put on gifted artwork :
When someone gives you an artwork its not just some bit of paper with some paint… Its an idea that may have been thought about for quite some time, that has gone through multiple mutations in its rough form. Its hours and hours – Often days and weeks worth of work to get it to that finished state.
I’ve come to place a higher value on my work and time than I used to, so now I don’t give so much away. And when I do, Its often for something really important like a wedding. Gifted artwork should always be appreciated and valued – It’s worth thinking about if you are ever end up with a present like this.
Because if you dont, If you are someone who chooses pass it on in favour of some tacky trademe buy, you may just find you will never be given something with this much love in it again. For you, I would much rather grab a mass produced, store-bought itunes voucher.
Vin
