I know I've raved about Raphael linen panels many a time on this blog. I've loved the surface from the first time I tried it. With a cross-border trip in the works, last month I ordered some panels, stocking up on a few sizes, and had them delivered to my friend Juliet in New York. The panels are shrink-wrapped, and I don't take that off until I'm ready to use them. The size I needed for a new painting was one I'd ordered in that latest batch, and brought back from a trip to Saratoga this past weekend. The trip was amazing, but how could a trip to Saratoga be anything but?
Imagine my disappointment when I removed the shrink wrap tonight to find, first of all, that the surface has changed, and secondly that the linen is not completely adhered to the panel. I checked the second panel of the same size, hoping at least one of them would be good - without luck. This is the downfall of ordering online from a company on the other side of the border! Given that the company I ordered from, ASW, is not known for its customer service, I'm left with trying to come up with a way of fixing the panels, somehow. Attempting to return them would be even more of a nightmare! It's a sad, sad day! Thank goodness I have a supply of the old panels, but it doesn't look as if I'll be ordering anymore Raphaels. And now to come up with an alternate support for a painting that is already on a tight deadline! Eep!
A sad post like this at least needs a cheery photo, so I'll post one or two from the trip. In typical Saratoga fashion, it rained one day, but we were blessed with two days of sunshine. Now I want to go again! And I don't want to wait for next year!
