Rolled canvas and paintings that have gone slack need a proper stretch before they belong on a wall. Marty & Pat’s offers canvas stretching and canvas float frames so the face stays tight and the edges read as part of the piece, not an afterthought.
Float frames leave a slim reveal around a gallery-wrap or a stretched painting. Traditional moulding is still here for work that wants a closed edge. Either way, the conversation starts with the painting in the room — scale, finish, and how it will hang at home.
Artists across Fort Worth use the Camp Bowie shop as a working studio bench. A canvas that traveled rolled from a show, a painting that loosened through a Texas summer, or a new piece that has never been on bars can all be stretched here. If the painting is too large for the car, ask about residential on-site consultation.
Once the face is tight, you still choose how it meets the wall. Some collectors want the float and the painted edge. Others want a closed moulding that matches the rest of a room in Ridglea or Tanglewood. Custom picture framing and conservation matting cover works on paper that will hang beside the canvas.
The location has offered full-service custom picture framing since 1986. The local art gallery on site shows how finished canvases actually look in a frame — useful if you are coming from the Cultural District or West 7th and want to see scale before you commit.
Works on paper, textiles, and objects are different jobs. Needlework, scarves, jerseys, shadowboxes, and diplomas each have their own page if that is what you are bringing instead of a painting.
Visit 5025 Camp Bowie Boulevard Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., or call (817) 738-7328. Bring the rolled canvas or the slack painting; the staff will talk through bars, float, or a traditional frame before the stretch begins.
Questions we hear
Can you stretch a painting that arrived rolled?
Yes. Rolled canvas is a regular part of the bench. Bring it in during weekday hours and the staff will talk through bars, tension, and whether a float frame or traditional moulding is the better finish.
What is a canvas float frame?
A float frame leaves a slim reveal around a gallery-wrap or stretched painting so the edges read as part of the piece. Traditional moulding is still available when you want a closed edge.
What if the canvas is too large for my car?
Ask about residential on-site consultation. The shop offers that when a piece is too large or too fragile to carry in.