TGR contributor Barbara Barrett recently visited the home of Doug Ellis and his wife and had the opportunity to take some photos of their massive collection of pulp and fantasy art. Here’s Barbara’s introduction to the photos of the artwork:
A Pulp Art Mind-Blowing Experience
While I was in Ohio for three weeks in April, John DeWalt and I went to the Windy City Pulp and Paper Convention Show which was held Friday through Sunday, April 22, 23 and 24th 2016. But the day before, on Thursday, April 21st, we were very fortunate to attend an Open House at the home of Doug Ellis (coordinator and manager of the Windy) and his wife, Deb Fulton.
John and I arrived about noon. After I introduced myself to Doug—and keeping in mind a request I had from Neil Mechem of Girasol Collectables—I asked if I could photograph the pulp covers Neil needed. I took out my camera as I followed Doug downstairs to a library-like room filled with stacks of book shelves containing plastic covered pulp magazines. It’s well organized and within a few minutes he checked here and then in another room on the second floor. Unfortunately, he didn’t have those particular issues.
When Doug went back to his other guests, my camera was out and ready but it was difficult to know where to begin. John DeWalt had told me Doug Ellis has an extensive pulp and art collection but nothing prepared me for how awesome it is. The paintings cover most of the wall space in their three floor, five-bedroom+ home. Even the bathrooms contained works of art.
With Doug’s permission to photograph his collection, I snapped pictures until the battery died in my camera. I apologize for the spot of bright light in some of them. Almost all the paintings and drawings were framed and covered with glass making them very difficult to photograph. None of the art identifies the artist. However, many of the readers here will recognize the work of their favorites.
I hope you enjoy the photos. Walking through those rooms with pulp magazines and artwork everywhere I looked is an experience I’ll remember for a long time.
Part Two, Part Three
