132 Inch Elite B2 Single Stretcher Bar 1-1/2" Deep #B2-132

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 Purify the Air

Our forests purify the air by filtering nearly 40% of the fossil fuel emissions humans create, and are critical to reducing global warming. More trees are needed on this planet, not fewer, for our own healthy human survival. Therefore, we use lumber grown in responsibly managed forests, so future generations can benefit from our responsible actions today.

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 88x132 frame size, which happens to be a 3:2 Film aspect ratio size, your canvas should be about 94 x 138. 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 paint flowers so they will not die. ♦ Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo, with her unique artistry and soul-revealing self-portraits, masterfully intertwined life's fragility with the enduring nature of art. Her personal struggles, physical and emotional, provided a profound backdrop against which she channeled her emotions, making her canvas a space of rebirth and survival.

When artists turn to their canvases or mediums, it's not just about representing a moment or object; it's about preserving a feeling, an emotion, or a fleeting beauty. Flowers, in all their transient glory, symbolize life's ephemeral nature. By painting them, we offer them a certain immortality, capturing their essence for posterity. Kahlo's sentiment resonates with many of us who find solace in our art. It's our way of grappling with the transient nature of existence, of making sure that something beautiful remains even when its physical counterpart fades. In this act of creation, we find our defiance against time, and in some ways, achieve our own form of immortality.

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We've handpicked this quote and our interpretation of it's meaning to inspire your art. And we honor the legacy of Frida Kahlo by creating this one-of-a-kind portrait to tie it all together. Start Painting!