135 Inch Elite B2 Single Stretcher Bar 1-1/2" Deep #B2-135

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.

Forests need People, and People Need Forests

Using lumber from sustainably managed forests is a way to support the health and well-being of our planet and its inhabitants. By choosing products made with sustainably sourced lumber, we can help to protect the environment, support local communities, and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.

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 45x135 frame size, which happens to be a 3:1 Panorama aspect ratio size, your canvas should be about 51 x 141. 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.

Masterpiece® is a family-owned business operating in California since 1965 and producing the finest Stretcher Bars in North America. We deliver the highest quality and highest performing products in the business. We are widely recognized as the nation's leader and trendsetter of professional quality fine-art canvas. We own several patents that make our products perform superior to any other on the market. Once you touch one of our products, you'll immediately recognize our impeccable quality—and more importantly, so will your clients and those who acquire your art

In my view, you cannot claim to have seen something until you have photographed it. ♦ Emile Zola

Émile Zola, often hailed for his riveting literary works, had a lesser-known but deeply significant bond with the world of visual arts, particularly photography. Living during a transformative era of both literature and art, Zola was among the few who delved into the emerging world of photography during the late 19th century. To him, photography was more than just a tool; it was a medium that encapsulated reality and truth. This perspective resonated with his literary principles, where he endeavored to present life as it truly was, without the mask of romanticism or exaggeration.

This quote sheds light on Zola's belief in the profound authenticity a photograph could offer. An artist might interpret this as an encouragement to depict their subjects with a raw and undistorted perspective, much like a photograph captures a moment in its unaltered state. Translating this philosophy to painting, an artist might feel that one hasn't truly seen or understood a subject until they've painted it, capturing its essence on canvas. It's a call to perceive deeply, to engage intimately with the subject, and to represent it with unerring authenticity.

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Draw inspiration from the words of wisdom by Emile Zola, plus our interpretation of its meaning, along with our own rendered portrait of Emile Zola. Now get busy on your own canvas!