Glazing can be either glass or acrylic. Only glass should be used with any friable media such as unfixed pastels, charcoals, or graphite, never acrylic as it can damage the work by attracting these materials. There are many brands of acrylic glazing to choose from; one with an ultraviolet filter is recommended. The frame and the mat should be deep enough to prevent the artwork from touching the glazing. A fineartpieces stiff backboard behind the mat protects and supports the matted artwork. It is best to use non-acidic boards. A dust seal with paper or tape is also recommended. What damage results from using poor quality mat board? Avoid mat boards containing wood pulp which causes "matburn"--a darkening of the paper under the mat or at the bevel cut of the window mat. This type of stain permanently weakens the paper fibers and is not easily removed or lightened in conservation treatment.

Our studio grew out of Maurel Press originated in 1955 by artists Sheila and Ary Marbain. It opened as a custom screen printing shop specializing in printing with contemporary artists. Sheila had studied art at Black Mountain fineartpieces College in North Carolina with Joseph Albers, Ilya Bolotowsky and William deKooning from 1948 through 1950. Ary had worked and exhibited as a painter in France for many years. After the sudden death of Ary Marbain in 1963, the studio was closed for a year. Sheila then decided to modernize the workshop and introduce screen photography along with a new vacuume fineartpieces printing table. Our studio reopened on 23rd Street in Manhattan. With an assistant, Sheila plunged into printing three dimensional objects. A plexiglass airship for Lichtenstein, an fineartpieces Oldenburg soft drum set, a set of dominoes with Fahlstrom, and a large fabric banner with Marisol were some of the editions.