Part 1. Upcycling Canvases

Upcycling Canvases: It's a Win-Win!

I'm often disappointed by how much artwork is sent to charity shops, maybe because it gets discarded for the new trends. There seems to be a disposable culture in clearing out the old for the new. However, it's pleasing to see that some artwork is being donated to charity shops, as this can help raise money for a good cause if bought!

Multiple Art Canvases

The difficulty is whether they can sell again, which can come down to the buyer's taste and the chance of them seeing it.

We periodically look for canvases in Norfolk and Suffolk charity shops, hunting for good, solid frames and surfaces for me to reuse for art pieces.

This is a win-win for both the buyer, the environment, and the local charity shop since upcycling canvases can help lower the likelihood of them being chucked in landfills, allows the buyer to own artwork they like, and also raises money for good charitable causes in the local community.

A canvas bought from a charity shop

I don't like to see good artwork or frames being sent to waste, because artists like me could use them.

So we build up the stock and pay generous prices for them, as this can be a fraction of the cost which you could expect to pay for at a shop or online.

We apply a few coats of gesso primer, usually a Winsor and Newton high-acrylic primer, which helps ensure the base coat is good-to-go for the acrylic or oil paint being applied to the surface.

Part 2 coming soon!