[Tom Edgerton]

Julie--

The stretchers poking out in the back don't bother me much when I'm using a lightweight stretcher bar on the smaller pieces, as the framer always backs up the painting with kraft paper anyway.

But like you, when I go to a heavyweight stretcher, I usually get a 1-inch buildup applied in back, as Chris has described, and the canvas is completely contained then. It adds more illusion of "mass" too, to the frame when viewed from the front, which works nicely with the larger paintings.

Best--TE