About Sierra Art Panels
“I didn’t start Sierra Art Panels to build panels. I started it because I wanted better panels to paint on.”
About Sierra Art Panels
I started Sierra Art Panels because I couldn’t find painting panels that consistently met the standards I wanted for my own work.
As a painter, I believe the surface is just as important as the paint applied to it. A panel should be stable, archival, and built to last. It should never be the weak link in a painting. After years of building panels for myself, I began making them for other artists who were looking for the same level of craftsmanship and reliability.
Every panel is built by hand in my California studio using carefully selected archival materials. I build each one the same way I build the panels for my own paintings—with attention to detail, thoughtful construction, and no shortcuts.
One of the biggest challenges with painting panels is maintaining strength and stability without creating unnecessary weight or bulk. As panels become larger, they often become heavier, thicker, or more susceptible to movement over time.
To solve those problems, I developed a hybrid design that combines a traditional perimeter cradle with an internal truss structure and diagonal cross-bracing. It’s an approach inspired by architecture and aircraft construction, where strength comes from intelligent design rather than simply adding more material. The internal framework distributes stress throughout the panel, helping resist twisting and warping while allowing the perimeter cradle to remain slimmer and lighter.
The result is a panel that feels solid in the hand while remaining lighter, thinner, and exceptionally rigid. They store easily, ship efficiently, and provide a dependable painting surface that I trust for my own artwork.
I’m a self-taught artist who has been painting since childhood. Over the years I’ve studied the techniques of the Old Masters while developing my own approach to painting. My work is inspired by the landscapes and wild places of California—from the Sierra Nevada and deserts to the Pacific coast—and every painting I create is made on the same handcrafted panels I offer to other artists.
Building panels and creating paintings are not separate pursuits. They are part of the same studio practice. Every decision—from the materials I select to the way each panel is constructed—comes from years of experience as a working painter and a belief that artwork deserves the strongest possible foundation.
For artists, Sierra Art Panels offer an alternative to traditional cradled panels, stretched canvas, hardboard, and other common painting surfaces. Their slim profile makes them easier to frame, store, transport, and ship without compromising strength or stability.
For collectors, they provide confidence that the artwork they purchase rests on an archival, carefully crafted foundation designed to preserve the painting for generations.
Sierra Art Panels is a small working studio, not a factory. Most panels are built to order, with limited batches of in-stock panels available throughout the year. When you contact Sierra Art Panels, you’re communicating directly with the person who designs, builds, and paints on these panels every day.
My goal is simple: to build painting panels that I would trust with my own artwork—and that artists and collectors can trust for generations.
Tom Applegate
II have been painting since childhood. Like many artists, I began by studying the techniques of the Old Masters and working in realism before gradually developing my own approach. Today my work blends representation and abstraction, drawing inspiration from the landscapes and wildlife of California—from the Sierra Nevada and deserts to the Pacific coast.
Much of my life has been spent outdoors. I grew up exploring the Arizona desert before moving to San Diego, where surfing, beaches, and the surrounding wild places became part of everyday life. Later I spent years rock climbing throughout the western United States and Canada, and eventually pursued competitive aerobatic flying before returning to painting with renewed focus.
For more than 30 years I worked as a wildlife biologist protecting California’s central coast. The beach was my office, and that experience gave me a deep appreciation for the landscapes and wildlife that continue to inspire my work.
Sierra Art Panels grew naturally from my life as a painter. I wanted painting surfaces that were stronger, more stable, and better suited to the way I work than what I could readily buy. After years of building panels for my own paintings, I began making them for other artists.
Today every panel is built by hand in my California studio using the same materials and construction methods I trust for my own artwork. Designing and building panels isn’t separate from my painting—it’s an essential part of the creative process. My goal is simple: to create archival painting surfaces that artists can rely on and collectors can trust to preserve artwork for generations.
You can see some of my paintings at tomapplegateart.com
