Frank G. Applegate

Frank Guy Applegate (February 8, 1881 – February 12, 1931) was a visual artist, collector and author who was active in Santa Fe, New Mexico in the early 20th century.

Early life and education Applegate was born in Atlanta, Illinois, and moved to Santa Fe in 1921, where he worked as an artist and collected Spanish Colonial works of art. He was educated at the University of Illinois where he received a B.A. degree in 1906, he later attended the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and the Academy Julien in Paris. He later built a compound of homes on the property along Camino de Monte Sol for himself and the artists of the Los Cinco Pintores collective of painters including Joseph Bakos, Fremont Ellis, Willard Nash, and Will Shuster. It is thought that Walter Mruk of Los Cincos Pintores purchased Applegate's house. The artists in the collective, with the possible exception of Mruk, worked together in building the compound homes, working under the guidance of Applegate.

Applegate was a watercolor and oil painter, and also produced ceramics and wood carvings.

Applegate collected arts and crafts made by Native American artists, as well as works by Hispanic santeros, saint carvers. He and the writer, Mary Hunter Austin founded the Spanish Colonial Arts Society which continues to operate the annual Spanish Market held in Santa Fe. his book Native Tales of New Mexico was published posthumously in 1932.

A monograph of his work, Frank Applegate of Santa Fe: Artist and Preservationist, was published in 2001.