91 Inch Elite B2 Single Stretcher Bar 1-1/2" Deep #B2-91

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.

Solid Wood is Archival - Finger Jointed Wood is Not

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 make are part of the archival process.

The principal reason manufactures use finger jointed wood is reduce cost, not increase archival value. Wood constantly grows and shrinks when the environment becomes hotter, or colder, or more humid, or more dry. Because finger jointed wood is made-up of multiple and varied pieces of wood, with varying grain patterns and densities, they each absorb and shed moisture at varying rates, which works on the glue joints that hold them together, causing the wood to bow and the joints to eventually fail, and certainly not consistent with increasing the archival value of your artwork frame support.

As a manufacturer, we do our part to conserve as much wood as possible, and still provide a quality made product that will out-perform any other in the marketplace.

Sustainably Managed Forests Coexist with Mankind

We use lumber grown in the sustainable forests of the Pacific Northwest, where there’s more standing timber today than last century! There will always be a demand for wood pulp and fiber, but striking a harmonious balance with human coexistence is the essential strategy to which we subscribe. Sustainably managed forests increase our health and abundance of our forests which can be in harmony with this precious natural resource.

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 91x104 frame size, which happens to be a 8:7 Near Square aspect ratio size, your canvas should be about 97 x 110. 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

There have been two great accidents in my life. One was the train, the other was Diego. Diego was by far the worst. ♦ Frida Kahlo

With her vibrantly hued canvases and equally vivid life, Frida Kahlo never hesitated to wear her heart on her sleeve. Her artistry and personal narratives were deeply intertwined, with pain and passion often blurring the boundaries between the two. The catastrophic bus accident she endured as a young woman left her with physical ailments that persisted throughout her life. Yet, in her words, the emotional tumult of her relationship with Diego Rivera, the renowned muralist, surpassed even that traumatic event in its intensity.

Relationships, in their complex, multifaceted nature, can define the course of our personal and artistic trajectories. For artists, these personal experiences, whether joyous or painful, feed directly into the art we create. We understand the intricate dance of love and loss, and the profound impact it can have on our creativity. The canvas becomes a testament to these emotions, a space where heartbreak, love, anguish, and euphoria find expression. Kahlo's intense relationship with Diego not only shaped her personal life but deeply influenced her art, reminding us that sometimes, our most challenging experiences can fuel the most profound creations.

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We've curated this inspirational quote and our take on the message, plus a unique portrait we created of Frida Kahlo, celebrating the timeless ever-evolving act of creation. Go create your own masterpiece!