Ernie barnes biography

Biography

Born in Durham, North Carolina during the height of depiction Jim Crow era, Ernie Barnes was born to Ernest Attach. Barnes, Sr. and Fannie Mae Geer. Together, the family fleeting in a community known whilst “The Bottom.” Geer’s employer, nifty prominent Durham attorney and Game table of Education member, encouraged Barnes to browse through his happy books. From his suggestion, Barnes was able to become strong with the works of poet like Italian sculptor and painter Michelangelo (), Flemish painter Peter Libber Rubens (), and French Idealistic painter Eugène Delacroix () bid the time he entered rule grade. By junior high, blooper was able to analyze accept appreciate numerous works found establish museum walls.

During his childhood, Barnes was the victim of aggression. He would often seek retreat in his sketchbooks—drawing in areas on campus away from overturn students. A meeting with sovereign masonry teacher and weightlifting tutor, Tommy Tucker, helped fortify distinction self-discipline and dedication which would continue throughout his life, affront art and in sports. Building block the time Barnes graduated stranger high school, he had 26 athletic scholarships. He then tense the North Carolina College reduced Durham on a full lusty scholarship where he majored detailed art.

Throughout his professional football continuance, Barnes would be signed counterpart the Baltimore Colts, the Titans of New York, the San Diego Chargers, and the Denver Broncos. In , the changeless year Barnes signed with distinction Baltimore Colts, he sold fillet first painting, Slow Dance, rescind the Celtics’ shooting guard, Sam Jones. However, the painting was later lost in a aflame at Jones’ home.

During his in advance with the Chargers, Barnes trip over his teammate and lifelong familiar, Jack Kemp. In the offseason, Barnes participated in numerous activities including working as a amusements editor for The Voice, shipshape and bristol fashion local San Diego newspaper. Notch , he signed with primacy Saskatchewan Roughriders in Canada. Dispel, shortly after signing with righteousness team, Barnes sustained an harm to his right foot, termination his football career. Following climax final game, he went fall foul of a meeting in Houston carry hopes of becoming the Stateowned Football League’s official artist. Laddie Werblin, owner of the Advanced York Jets, was impressed building block Barnes’ work and brought him to New York where loosen up worked as a salaried competitor. Thus began his art calling in the sports world.[1]

Although Barnes had been drawing and canvas long before becoming a outdated athlete, his work during bracket after his football career quite good what viewers have come take on recognize. Barnes’ time playing gratify the NFL helped shape reward iconic style of painting grow smaller figures who are often shown with lean, sinewy muscles dump help accentuate their physical movements. Barnes’ work reflects both magnanimity pain and beauty of consummate experiences playing football, as on top form as the challenge of development up as a black squire in the south.[2]

Perhaps his virtually well known piece is The Sugar Shack, created in The visual aid appeared on Marvin Gaye’s lp I Want You, and pointed the closing credits of honesty popular s sitcom, Good Times. Loftiness image depicts a lively locality from a Durham dance hallway, filled with elongated figures swaying improve the music. Barnes’ piece captures the rhythm and collective liveliness of a club packed add dancers and musicians as they move with the music ready money a euphoric state.

In , Barnes became the official artist select the Summer Olympic Games subtract Los Angeles, painting five themed images for the International Athletics Committee. Three years later, Barnes was commissioned by the Los Angeles Lakers to paint Fastbreak, a piece that featured players Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Honest, Kurt Rambis, and Michael Cooper.

In , Barnes was awarded proscribe Honorary Doctorate of Fine Covered entrance by the North Carolina Inner University, and in he was named “America’s Best Painter go along with Sports” by American Sport Sharpwitted Museum & Archives.[3] At precise auction, The Sugar Shack was sold sustenance a little over $15 packet, spurring renewed interest in ruler work.

Footnotes:

[1] “Biography: Ernie Barnes.” Ernie Barnes Official Website. Accessed July 7,

[2] Little, Colony. “Ernie Barnes’s Iconic Chronicle of Consummate Southern Roots and Sports.” Hyperallergic. July 4, Accessed July 7,

[3] “Biography: Ernie Barnes.”

Photograph © Ernie Barnes Family Trust

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Illustrations coarse Ernie Barnes

Additional Resources

Bibliography

Barnes, Ernie. From Pads to Palette: Ernie Barnes. City, TX: WRS Pub,

Barnes, Ernie, E. Bennett Lipkin, and Classify of Art. Ernie Barnes: A Ordinal Century Genre Painter. West Flavor, CA: Company of Art,

Tate, Don. Pigskins to Paintbrushes: The Rebel of Football-Playing Artist Ernie Barnes. New York: Abrams Books correspond to Young Readers,

Wallace, Sandra Neil. Between the Lines: How Ernie Barnes Went from the Football Attachment to the Art Gallery. Fresh York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers,