Monday, September 15, 2008

Field Trip: Signature Canvas

Today I took myself on a field trip to Signature Canvas in Kansas City, MO. I've heard lots of great things about their canvases, but have yet to try them out. After being in contact with them via phone and email, I placed and order and am anxious to try my new canvases out. Picking up the canvases provided a great chance to take a tour!

Meet Alicia! She's generally here to greet you in person or by phone or email, and she's very pleasant to deal with. We had a good conversation while I was there about materials, the art market, BBQ and frozen custard. It seems lately where ever I go, at some point I have to mention BBQ and/or frozen custard. She also showed me how to adjust my new canvases via the keyless frame, which is much more awesome in person than it looked to me on the website, and which they have a patent for.

This is a photo of the area where they cut lengths of poplar and build the frames for the canvases.

Here is where they actually stretch the canvases. This shot doesn't give a lot of information... I had to be ambiguous in this area with my photo-taking because they use a secret-special method for stretching.

Here's where they package the canvases before they are shipped out.

Not only do they make and ship custom canvases, but if you are lucky enough to be in KC, you can visit their outlet store which is right in the warehouse! I had no idea they would have this many canvases in their overstock area, and they are all deeply discounted. I'm certainly going to have to return for this.

When the tour was over and we were finished making small talk, Fernando helped me carry my loot out to the car. I'm really pleased that I've hooked up with this company. They are local, which is a plus, their product appeared to be much better than other canvases I have used, and I like that I can call them and know the person on the other end of the line. I plan to start a painting on one of these new canvases very soon, and I will report my experience here. Meanwhile, if you are local, take a tour yourself!

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