FREMONT F. ELLIS (American, 1897-1985). Sandstorm. Oil on canvas. 30 x 25 inches (76.2 x 63.5 cm). Signed lower left: ...

Description

FREMONT F. ELLIS (American, 1897-1985)
Sandstorm
Oil on canvas
30 x 25 inches (76.2 x 63.5 cm)
Signed lower left: Fremont F. Ellis
A skilled photographer, Ellis often employed a camera as part of his painting process; by adjusting lenses and settings on his camera, he was able to create images with a broad range of colors and tones, which he then reproduced in paint on canvas. Such color-tone contrasts are visible in Sandstorm, a depiction of the Canyon de Chelly in Arizona, frequented by Ellis on his trips from Santa Fe to California. In the foreground, an Indian woman and her herd of goats, sprinkled like cacti across the desert hills, brace themselves against the approaching storm. Their graphic lines and vivid coloration contrast with the background landscape - a view of the famous 80-ft. sandstone Spider Rock -- enveloped in a pastel haze of swirling sand. Critics applauded Ellis's ability to render the "dry, glowing light of the desert," no doubt aided by his camera work.

More information about FREMONT F. ELLIS. See also: Ellis, Fremont F., Ellis, Fremond F., Ellis, Fremond-F, Fremont F. Ellis Artist.

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