Ernie barnes artist biography
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Ernie Barnes was born in in segregated Durham, North Carolina. Encouraged from a young age by his mother to pursue arts and music, Barnes developed a knowledge of art history through books and catalogues, while he was legally barred from entering the museums that held the paintings he admired. Barnes sought refuge in his sketchbooks before pursuing sports late in high school, which would secure him a full athletic scholarship at North Carolina College at Durham (now North Carolina Central University), where he studied art. Football, and painting remained dual passions for Barnes as he joined the NFL, playing for the San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos.
Barnes painted throughout his career at the NFL, and began giving interviews as an artist as early as In , Barnes retired from football, proposing to become the league’s official painter, after which he would relocate to Los Angeles, and begin painting full time. Barnes quickly developed his signature style, whi
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Ernie Barnes
American painter (–)
For other people with similar names, see Ernest Barnes (disambiguation).
Ernie Barnes | |
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Barnes in | |
| Born | Ernest Eugene Barnes Jr. ()July 15, Durham, North Carolina, US |
| Died | April 27, () (aged&#;70) Los Angeles, California, US |
| Occupation(s) | American artist, football player, actor |
| Height | 6&#;ft 3&#;in (&#;m) |
| Spouses |
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| Children | Deidre Barnes Paige Barnes Sean Barnes Erin Barnes Michael Barnes |
Ernest Eugene Barnes Jr. (July 15, – April 27, ) was an American artist, well known for his unique style of elongated characters and movement. He was also a professional football player, actor and author.
Early life
[edit]Childhood
[edit]Ernest Barnes Jr. was born during the Jim Crow era in "the bottom" community of Durham, North Carolina, near the Hayti District of the city. He had a younger brother named James (b. ), as well as a half-
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THE ESTATE OF ERNIE BARNES
Ernest “Ernie” Barnes (b. –) was born in segregated Durham, North Carolina. Raised at the height of Jim Crow racism and racial profiling, Barnes garnered an aesthetic knowledge through the books and catalogues he had access to at the home of his mother’s employer, a prominent Durham attorney. Through these experiences, he would be exposed not only to art history, but to the soul and spirit of the South—what he would come to call the “spiritual currency of the ghetto.” His aptitude for depicting his subjects—ebullient scenes of Black joy and athleticism, and lyrical, Southern life—would evolve into a signature, “neo-mannerist” style of painting. Taking influence from the figuration of the Italian Mannerists, Barnes painted elongated, sinuous figures with closed-eyes and distorted limbs. He also carefully studied 20th century American Masters, including Thomas Hart Benton, Andrew Wyeth