I own an art gallery and a frame shop in PA, and when customers mention that they will be hanging art in humid and otherwise funky conditions, I provide a couple of suggestions.
First, do not hang art in a bathroom ....the moisture will do it in.
Second, get into the back of the frame (get rid of the paper .... look below for the alternative) and throw in a few small bags of dissicants (the kinds of things medicines or clothes are packed with) to absorb moisture.
Third, never hang art in direct sun, against an exterior wall, or anywhere that is subject to large variations of heat or cold.
Fourth, alway put UV protective glass on everything, including canvas ......if you're not using mats (acid free only, please), have your framer install spacers between the art and the glass.
Fifth, have your framer seal the glass in and use a mylar backing, well sealed, instead of paper, on everything, including canvas.
Sixth, think "acid free"; no paper or junk that leaches tanic acid (anything originating from a tree; we're talking cotton here) into your frame. Make sure your (acid free, hopefully) art is also mounted correctly on an acid free backing (no cardboard or paper). If you value your art, have your framer line the inside of wooden frames with aluminum tape.
Last, have all these things done when it is very dry outside and the art itself is bone dry.
The idea here is to isolate the art from all the nasty things (bugs, moisture, excess light, heat and chemical influences) outside the frame. If the art could be vacuum sealed, that would be great. (let me know if you find an affordable way to do this)
Frankly, if all the above stuff can be done aesthetically using sealed-corner metal frames, hooray!
All this presumes that the art is is good shape to start with .... these ideas won't cure anything (if you want THAT, go see an accomplished conservationist first); everything I've suggested will just keep it from getting worse.
There are probably other tips, but I can't think of them right now.
BTW, stay away from galleries and framers that you're not going to see again; they're looking for your vacation bucks and quality is not high on their agenda (I've seen a bunch of 'em). If you buy art, buy it without the frame, canvas stretchers, glass, etc.; roll it up, put it in a tube, take it home and have it framed right (It's a whole lot easier and cheaper to get back home, too).
Hope this helps.
(Hey, you get a framer talking & you can't shut him/her up, and we normally charge for this...:)
Last edited by RobertJ; 06/25/16 09:27 AM.