Ellis, Fremont (1897-1985).

Evening Light 1919 by Fremont Ellis (1897-1985) 30" x 28", Oil/Canvas, Signed Lower Left Est.: $20,000 - $30,000 Sold by John Moran Auctioneers for $24,530 on 2/28/2006

Born in Virginia City, MT on Oct. 2, 1897, the son of an itinerant dentist. Ellis grew up without a formal education and remained a self-taught artist except for three months at the ASL in NYC. In order to learn a trade, he moved to Los Angeles in 1915 and entered optometry school.

After two years he abandoned optometry to become a full-time painter while living on Freedom Hill in the San Fernando Valley. After 1920 he was a resident of Santa Fe, NM but continued to be active in Los Angeles.

In 1921 he and Mruk, Bakos, Nash and Shuster formed Los Cinco Pintores. Ellis was a long-time resident of Santa Fe, but died in his native city on Jan. 12, 1985.

Exh: Calif. Art Club, 1921-24; LACMA, 1922 (solo); Oakland Art Gallery, 1953 (medal). In: S.S. America (mural).

Source:
Edan Hughes, "Artists in California, 1786-1940"
Who's Who in American Art 1936-56; Southern California Artists (Nancy Moure); Artists of the American West (Samuels); American Western Art (Harmsen).