Ampersand has become a well-respected name in the world of art panels, beginning with a vision shared by Elaine Salazar, a graduate student at the University of Texas, and Colorado artist and inventor Charles Ewing, along with his wife Barbara. Together, they sought to revive the traditional practice of panel painting.
Charles Ewing developed Claybord, a groundbreaking clay-coated panel that allowed artists to achieve extraordinary detail and utilize scratchboard techniques. Inspired by Elaine’s passion for art and her background in art history, she and three of her classmates created a business plan around Claybord. This idea won a national business contest in 1993, which helped launch Ampersand Art Supply.
The introduction of Claybord revolutionized the art of panel painting, offering a versatile surface that supports detailed work with various media. Ampersand's unique panels are compatible with oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, encaustic, and other mediums, allowing artists the freedom to explore a wide range of techniques.
Ampersand’s museum-quality panels are crafted by hand in Buda, Texas, using US-grown, renewable Aspen wood fibers certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The company is committed to both environmental sustainability and the health of artists, ensuring that their panels are free of formaldehyde and harmful VOCs.
At the core of Ampersand’s mission is the belief that the surface is crucial to the success of an artwork. Each panel is constructed with conservator-grade materials and sealed using Ampersand’s proprietary Archiva-Seal™ barrier technology, which safeguards against Support Induced Discoloration (SID) and ensures the longevity of the artwork. Ampersand remains the only manufacturer with these patented sealing processes, providing artists with the assurance that their work will be preserved for generations.
Today, over 25 years later, Ampersand continues to be a leading provider of art panels, still operating as a small, woman-owned business in Buda, Texas, just miles from where it all began.
