Making is only half of an Artist’s job. The other half is stewardship—ensuring your work remains discoverable, legible, and intact long after the paint dries and the show closes. It can feel morbid to think about legacy, but legacy is just another word for care. This is a practical approach to collecting your own work: how to catalog, edition, store, and plan so your art has a long, healthy life.
Start with a living catalog
Your catalog is the spine of your archive. Use whatever tool you will actually maintain: a spreadsheet, a database app, or a dedicated cataloging platform. Record a consistent set of fields for every piece: title, date, dimensions, materials, series, key image, detail image, location (studio, lender, collector), price history, exhibition history, and notes on condition. Assign a unique inventory number—include the year and a sequence (e.g., 25-014). Label the work physically on the back with pencil or archival pen; put the number in the file name of images and on shipping boxes.
Photograph everything with consistency. Shoot a wide, a straight-on, and a detail. Record lighting and camera settings if you can. The Artist who keeps visual records at a steady quality saves hours later when press, curators, or collectors ask for materials.
Edition strategy that respects scarcity
Editions can expand access while preserving value. Decide on edition sizes honestly—smaller is not always better; it’s about the work’s nature and audience. For prints, include edition size, print method, paper, and printer. Sign and number in a consistent location. Keep an edition log in your catalog with buyer info, print dates, and any APs (artist proofs). For time-based media, use certificates that specify file formats, display standards, and upgrade policies. The Artist who clarifies terms up front avoids awkward conversations later.
Certificates and provenance
Issue a certificate of authenticity for significant works. Include the inventory number, title, materials, dimensions, date, signature, and a small image. Some Artists embed a QR code that points to a permanent page on their site for provenance updates. When a work changes hands, update your catalog with the new collector and date. Provenance is a narrative of care; maintain it, and your work retains context wherever it travels.
Storage that prevents slow damage
Climate, light, and pressure are the enemies. Store works vertically with separators, or horizontally with spacers that keep surfaces from touching. Use archival materials—acid-free tissue and boxes. Keep temperature and humidity stable; avoid basements prone to damp and attics prone to heat. Build a simple labeling system for racks or shelves tied to inventory numbers so you can retrieve pieces quickly without shuffling a stack that scuffs edges. The Artist who handles storage as part of the making process prevents most conservation issues.
Digital preservation
Your digital archive deserves the same rigor. Keep images in two places locally and one in the cloud. Use clear file naming tied to inventory numbers. Export master TIFFs and working JPEGs; don’t rely on socials as your only archive. Keep copies of statements, price lists, press releases, and installation diagrams alongside the piece records. Document websites and online projects—capture screenshots, export code when possible, and note dependencies. The future will thank you.
Estate and stewardship planning
Legacy also means deciding what happens when you cannot steward the work yourself. At minimum, create a document naming a trusted person to manage the archive and listing where records live. For larger bodies of work, talk with an attorney about a will or trust that covers intellectual property and tangible works. Approach institutions early if you envision donations—curators plan years ahead, and clear archives make their job easier. The Artist who plans now gives future caretakers a map, not a maze.
What to keep, what to let go
Not everything belongs in the permanent archive. Keep representative studies that show the evolution of a series, key sketches that reveal decisions, and materials that illustrate process. Release or recycle work that confuses the narrative or failed experiments that have taught their lesson. Your archive should read like a biography of attention, not a storage unit of everything.
Make the archive public—selectively
Consider a public-facing archive on your site: a subset of the catalog with high-quality images, statements, and exhibition histories. This transparency helps curators research and helps collectors verify provenance. Pair it with a private section where you track values, buyer details, and sensitive notes. The Artist who shares enough to educate but keeps enough to protect strikes the balance.
Collecting your own work is an act of respect—for the pieces, for your audience, and for your future self. Do it steadily, and your legacy will not be an accident; it will be the natural continuation of your practice.