Canvars
Dare to create.
Greetings fellow artists, as you know, we here at Cowling & Wilcox have committed ourselves to providing the latest & greatest in art materials for over half a century now (yikes). Over these many years, we’ve often pondered on a lingering question;
“With the art world being so vast, subjective and ever-changing, how does someone determine the “greatest” anyway?”
Truthfully, we’re humble enough to admit we don’t know. That’s why our focus has always remained on partnering with brands we’re proud to work with like Daler-Rowney, Jakar, Faber-Castell, Seawhite and Winsor & Newton, amongst others. And today’s topic is no different.
Today we’d like to take a moment to show you why Canvars and their MAESTRO series of premium artists’ stretched canvases have us so excited. And why we think you should be too.
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Designed with artists in mind.
With a mission to produce not just “good” materials, but materials that artists can be proud to work on, Canvars knew they needed to go directly to the source.
Before stretching even one piece of material, they spoke extensively with creatives from around the world to gain a greater understanding of not just their wants or needs, but what makes them tick as people.
These observations were then seamlessly woven into every facet of their core design philosophy, with the traditional MAESTRO & it’s deeper counterpart the GRAND MAESTRO being no exception.
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Marvellous materials, meticulously made.
Of course, it’s one thing to design an artists’ canvas, it’s another thing entirely to actually build one.
From their frames to their canvas to their dual-primed finish, every step of the MAESTRO series is overlooked & hand-finished by professional artisans with a focus on patience, precision & respect for traditional techniques.
But that doesn’t mean much if the materials aren’t up to scratch, does it?
The Surface.
Made using specially selected Italian medium-grain cotton, the 380gsm surface of the MAESTRO series offers a versatile, densely woven surface finished with two layers of acid-free gesso.
Each MAESTRO is hand-stretched & securely stapled to the rear of the frame for a clean, tight finish with no visible tacks or imperfections.
The Frames.
The MAESTRO's painstakingly hand-built frames are made using sustainably sourced wood from FSC-certified European forestry (FSC™ C150822).
Not only that, but each individual piece is chosen through a labour-intensive process to avoid knots, cracks or other imperfections, ensuring a robust, warp-resistant frame worthy of your work.
The Wedges.
Through their collaboration with Australian artist Alesandro, any Canvars canvas over 30 x 40cm (or x”) comes complete with his signature self-locking resin wedges.
These handy, functional wedges are ideal for easy fine-tuning & re-tightening as you work, so your creative flow doesn’t get interrupted.
