Advisory Notice Concerning Pre-Primed Canvas Supports

Over the last year we have seen a sharp increase in the number of adhesion failures associated with the use of pre-primed canvases made by a variety of manufacturers. Obviously this has alarmed artists and raises potentially serious issues around the long-term stability of artwork done on these supports. In addition, because the failures have involved a multitude of paint brands, the concerns range far beyond the use of Golden Artist Colors alone.

In response, GOLDEN feels strongly that more is needed than simply alerting the community to this issue. To that end, we are actively conducting research to establish the best ways to test for this problem and provide recommendations that can minimize concerns whenever pre-primed supports are being used. By going to our Web site, artists will be able to access the most recent results and information resulting from these efforts. However, we would caution against expecting any easy, broad solution to this matter until there are clear standards of quality and performance that the manufacturers of these products are willing to endorse through such organizations as the ASTM. Until then, we will continue to advocate for the need artists have to trust in the reliability of all the materials they use in creating permanent works of art.

Continue on to Pre-Primed Canvas Adhesion Testing Page