Hanging Systems for the Studio

When my husband and I built our current house- the first and last time we hope-  having a home studio was a top priority of mine.  Up to that point I had first used a spare bedroom as a studio in a previous home and rented space for 2 years while we were in a smaller house and building.  Besides buying a bigger easel, I wanted a hanging system that would display my framed paintings as well as works in progress.  I was tired of moving picture hangers and making new nail holes every time I needed to add paintings or change the arrangement, and I never found a good way to hang unframed pieces.

After some research I chose Walker Display Picture Hanging System which is used by several of our local galleries. Here is their website-  Walker Display  Here is how it looks on a wall in my studio-

This is just part of one wall, I have two walls of display.

I chose these components, but there are a number of options-
Picture molding with a sleeve hook, the molding painted to match the rest of the woodwork.  Metal molding is also available.

 

I used a combination of fiberglass and steel rods because the fiberglass rods bow when holding heavier paintings.  The fiberglass rods come in clear if desired.

I also use a combination of these parts-

This is for hanging framed paintings.  The wire on the frame rests in the trough of this piece so only one rod and one holder are needed even for larger paintings.

Though these are matched like this in the website catalog, I use a long holder and panel holder together for panels, the long holder on the bottom and the panel holder on top. This is more stable, especially for larger panels.  I like to hang my wet panels so I can study them.  I also use the hangers when photographing my panels.  The pencil is there to keep the metal holder from overlapping too much of the painting in the photo.

I can tell you that this system is strong, durable, and infinitely flexible.  They now offer a metal cable as an option instead of a rod.  A downside is the visibility of the rods, if that matters to you.  All of the above components must be hand tighten but it is not difficult.

Another good option is Gallery System Art Displays.  Website is Gallery System
I had the opportunity to do a one artist show at a local realty and this was the system they had installed.  Here is what the relevant parts look like-

The metal cable is thin but strong.  The push button hook self locks, so no elbow grease is required to get a reliable hold on the cable and adjustments are simple.  I had to hang the paintings myself so I can attest to the user friendliness of the system. The thin cable is not very visible, so from a cosmetic standpoint it is superior to the Walker product.  The down side is that 2 cables are needed for each painting.  Even a small painting does not tend to hang level on one cable.  So when hanging one must be careful to keep the hooks perfectly level and hanging one painting above another is tricky but certainly doable.

Here is one wall of my show to give you an idea-

Lastly, I am familiar with another system that is used in our Town Hall.  Our art guild has a rotational exhibit there and several of us, myself included, are responsible for re-hanging the work several times a year.  (This led to a previous post about framing hardware.) This system is AS Hanging Display Systems-  AS Hanging  As with Gallery System Art Displays, two cords or cables are needed for each painting.  The clear nylon cord is almost invisible which is very nice aesthetically.  The cords curl at the ends so must be tucked behind the painting for a clean look.  Steel cable is also available with a self locking hook similar to Gallery System.  The mini hook is the least expensive but has a weight capacity of 12 lbs. each and must be hand tightened via screw eyes.  I really don't like this feature, so if budget does not prohibit I recommend going with the self locking hooks or buying a combination and using the self lockers on heavier paintings.  As you can see below this is visually very pleasing.

That is all I know about hanging systems.  You can't go wrong with any of these, but personal preference and what you want them to do for you will influence your choice.

Thanks for reading, and see you next year!