Does worrying about shipping your work keep you up at night? Tired of storing Styrofoam peanuts, then tracking them all over the studio after packing work? Try using upholstery foam to pack your work instead.
A museum employee once told me how they used foam to pack valuable Chinese ceramic artwork for shipping across the globe. I have practiced this technique several times and it works nicely.
First you will need to source foam mattresses, upholstery foam, or foam mattress pads. I put a request on Facebook, and was offered several old mattresses for free that came from my community. If you can’t find free foam, it is available at craft stores, and local upholstery businesses may have off cuts they are discarding.
Packing Steps
1. Find a suitably sized, sturdy cardboard box and trace its outline with a felt pen onto the foam (1). Use a sharp, long, narrow-bladed knife (we use our fish filet knife) and cut the shape from the rectangular or square foam (2). Use
this as the bottom layer in the box. If the foam is 4 inches thick, you might split it into two layers (3).
2. Cut out another piece of the foam that is the same size. Place artwork on the foam at least 1½ inches apart from one another and at least 1½ inches from the edges of the foam. Draw the outline of your item onto the foam (4). Use the knife to cut a hole through the foam, following the outline. Try to cut at an angle corresponding to your item and be sure the piece fits tightly and can’t move around in the foam (5, 6).
3. Place this new layer in the box and fit the piece(s) firmly in the customized hole(s).
4. Put a new layer of 2-inch-thick foam on top and wrap up the box (7).
Advantages
This packing method has several advantages. The foam is lightweight, has high friction, and the pieces cannot move around. Large, irregular work is harder to pack this way, but smaller items are easy. If possible, try to reuse the foam to prevent increasing
the amount of plastic garbage in our environment.
the authorElisa Helland-Hansen is a Norwegian studio potter based in Rosenthal by the Hardangerfjord in western Norway. She was trained at the Bergen National College for Arts and Design in the 1970s and has worked as a full-time potter since then. She has traveled extensively and exhibits internationally.
We understand your email address is private. You will receive emails and newsletters from Ceramic Arts Network. We will never share your information except as outlined in our privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
You have read of of your complimentary articles for the month.
For unlimited access to Ceramics Monthly premium content, subscribe right now for as low as $4.85/month.
We understand your email address is private. You will receive emails and newsletters from Ceramic Arts Network. We will never share your information except as outlined in our privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Subscribe to Ceramics Monthly
Does worrying about shipping your work keep you up at night? Tired of storing Styrofoam peanuts, then tracking them all over the studio after packing work? Try using upholstery foam to pack your work instead.
A museum employee once told me how they used foam to pack valuable Chinese ceramic artwork for shipping across the globe. I have practiced this technique several times and it works nicely.
First you will need to source foam mattresses, upholstery foam, or foam mattress pads. I put a request on Facebook, and was offered several old mattresses for free that came from my community. If you can’t find free foam, it is available at craft stores, and local upholstery businesses may have off cuts they are discarding.
Packing Steps
1. Find a suitably sized, sturdy cardboard box and trace its outline with a felt pen onto the foam (1). Use a sharp, long, narrow-bladed knife (we use our fish filet knife) and cut the shape from the rectangular or square foam (2). Use this as the bottom layer in the box. If the foam is 4 inches thick, you might split it into two layers (3).
2. Cut out another piece of the foam that is the same size. Place artwork on the foam at least 1½ inches apart from one another and at least 1½ inches from the edges of the foam. Draw the outline of your item onto the foam (4). Use the knife to cut a hole through the foam, following the outline. Try to cut at an angle corresponding to your item and be sure the piece fits tightly and can’t move around in the foam (5, 6).
3. Place this new layer in the box and fit the piece(s) firmly in the customized hole(s).
4. Put a new layer of 2-inch-thick foam on top and wrap up the box (7).
Advantages
This packing method has several advantages. The foam is lightweight, has high friction, and the pieces cannot move around. Large, irregular work is harder to pack this way, but smaller items are easy. If possible, try to reuse the foam to prevent increasing the amount of plastic garbage in our environment.
the author Elisa Helland-Hansen is a Norwegian studio potter based in Rosenthal by the Hardangerfjord in western Norway. She was trained at the Bergen National College for Arts and Design in the 1970s and has worked as a full-time potter since then. She has traveled extensively and exhibits internationally.
Unfamiliar with any terms in this article? Browse our glossary of pottery terms!
Click the cover image to return to the Table of Contents