12 Inch Elite B2 Single Stretcher Bar 1-1/2" Deep #B2-12

Elite™ Professional 1.5" Deep B2 Bar • 1/2" Canvas Clearance

A Canvas Clearance of 1/2" is the space between the Bar and the canvas. Generally speaking, more clearance reduces the risk of the canvas touching the wood and creating unsightly lines during painting. Our design provides the optimal clearance so as not to impact your painting, but still leaving enough wood to the maximize strength of the Stretcher Bar.

Finger Jointed Wood is not meant for Stretcher Bars

Solid wood makes the most dependable Stretcher Bar, because one homogeneous wood member is going to behave similarly across the entire length of the Bar. Whereas, with finger-jointed wood is made-up of multiple pieces of wood, sometimes on the actual joint itself, presenting multiple points of failure which no one can control.

We only use Solid Wood to build our Stretcher Bars because a solid piece of wood will last indefinitely. When we speak of archival value, it's not just the paint you use and the quality of your canvas and ground, even the wood choices manufacturers add or reduce value to your final painting. The fact is, you don't want problems, and finger joints only increase that risk of the wood falling apart in the future.

The glue used to bind finger joints is a water based adhesive and when that wood is exposed to high humidity environments, particularly with exterior walls, the glue joints can give-up. As a manufacturer, Masterpiece® does its part to conserve as much wood as possible, and still provide a quality product that will out-perform any other in the marketplace.

Sustainably Managed Forests Inhale and Exhale

The world's forests are essential to human survival. Forests inhale carbon dioxide for the earth, and exhale oxygen essential for life. When we speak of the sustainable forest strategy of ensuring that more timber will exist in the same forest land than exists today, this is the only viable plan for the future of humanity. For this reason, we use only lumber from the sustainable forests of Oregon, Washington, and California, where there’s more standing timber today than last century!

Canvas Size Needed for this Stretcher Bar

Most artists will stretch the canvas and attach the staples or tacks onto the back side of the frame. Doing so allows you to paint on the edge and hang your art without needed a picture frame. Generally speaking, you should allow 6 Inches of canvas beyond the size of your frame.

For example, if you were to stretch a 12x40 frame size, which happens to be a 10:3 Extended Panorama aspect ratio size, your canvas should be about 18 x 46. This allows you ample room to stretch and attach the canvas on the back. Should you ever need to remove the canvas from the frame and re-attach it, it still serves that purpose too. Should you want to attach the canvas from the edge of the stretcher frame, then you can reduce the size of your canvas about 3/4" all the way around the frame.

Rooted in California and flourishing since 1965, Masterpiece® takes pride in its family-led legacy of crafting North America's premier Stretcher Bars. Our quest for excellence isn't just a goal but a commitment, positioning us as the trailblazers in the domain of fine-art canvas. Our innovative patents have set new benchmarks, ensuring our offerings stand unmatched. Dive into the tactile experience of our products, and you'll instantly recognize the distinct Masterpiece® quality, a signature appreciated by both your clientele and future art connoisseurs.

I love above all else the appearance of people who have grown old without breaking with old customs. ♦ Paul Cézanne

A post-impressionist who brought an analytical eye to every subject he approached, Paul Cézanne carried a reverence for tradition and the timeless elegance it bestows upon its adherents. This quote illuminates his admiration for individuals who age gracefully, maintaining ties to the rituals and customs of yesteryears, seemingly untouched by the relentless march of time.

Artists often find inspiration in the juxtaposition of the old with the new, the traditional with the innovative. And yet, as Cézanne aptly observes, there's something profoundly captivating about those who resist the siren call of change, choosing instead to preserve the ways of the past. In our modern age of rapid technological advancement and shifting societal norms, such individuals become living relics, embodiments of a bygone era. They serve as touchstones, grounding us in our shared history and reminding us of the enduring value of tradition.

In the art world, we recognize the merit of innovation, but there is also a profound respect for the foundational techniques and styles that have shaped the course of art history. In the same vein, the individuals Cézanne admires represent the anchoring forces in our lives. Their steadfastness becomes a source of inspiration, reminding us that while it's essential to evolve and grow, there's undeniable beauty in holding onto the core essence of who we are and where we come from.

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Art is visual and ripe with meaning, so enjoy this quote and our interpretation of its meaning, plus an one-of-a-kind portrait we created of Paul Cézanne to make it all the more relevant. Pick up that brush and go!