51x115 Elite Professional 1.5" Deep B2 Stretcher Frame Kit

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.

• Super strong Elite™ B2™ Stretcher Bar is 50% stronger than most others in its class
• For this 51x115 large size frame, the frame provides the ultimate foundation for your art with increased strength and stability
• Produces a 1.5" deep stretched canvas
• 2-1/4" wide Stretcher Bars
• All Bars have an exclusive groove on the inside perimeter of the frame to which cross braces and Diamond Corner Braces attach
• Solid Ponderosa Pine or Fir from the Pacific Northwest

Biodiversity in our Forests is the Key to Life as we know it

By using lumber from sustainably managed forests in our products, we can ensure that the forests will continue to thrive and provide valuable resources for years to come. Sustainable forestry practices help to maintain the health and biodiversity of the forest, which benefits not only the environment, but also the local communities and businesses that rely on the forest for their livelihoods.

Specially Dried and Heat Treated Lumber

We source our wood from a select group of top-tier environmentally conscious lumber mills in the Pacific Northwest. These mills specially dry and heat-treat the lumber to our specifications, resulting in about half the moisture content compared to wood from typical home improvement centers or lumber yards. This process makes the wood stronger, reducing the likelihood of cracking, splitting, or warping. While the wood we use comes at a higher cost, it ensures a more dimensionally stable end product. This stability is crucial for crafting fine professional canvases that support your invaluable art over time.

57x121 is the Canvas Size Needed for this 51x115 Frame

Please note that you will need a canvas that is at least 6 Inches larger than the actual frame size to ensure proper stretching. This will provide ample material to stretch the canvas and attach it to the back of the frame. If you prefer to attach the canvas from the edge of the stretcher frame, you can reduce the size of your canvas by approximately 3/4" all the way around the frame. This will allow you to paint on the edge of the canvas and hang your artwork without needing a separate picture frame. And, if you ever need to remove the canvas from the frame and re-attach it, you'll have enough material to do that too.

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.

Artists are born, not made. ♦ Paul Gauguin

Paul Gauguin's assertion taps into an age-old debate about nature versus nurture. His life, characterized by a fierce passion for art that led him to abandon a stable career and family life, might suggest that he indeed felt a preordained calling. The raw, unfiltered emotions and vibrant palettes that distinguished his works weren't just learned techniques; they were manifestations of his soul.

In our own paths, we might often wonder about the origins of our artistic inclinations. Is it an innate talent or a skill honed over time? While training and education undeniably play a role in refining our abilities, there is an inherent spark, a primal urge to create, that drives us. This is the essence that Gauguin alludes to – an innate yearning to express, to communicate without words, and to immortalize our unique perspectives on canvas. So, while the world around us might offer tools and techniques, it's within us that the true essence of an artist resides.

---

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