Ernie Barnes passed away in April but his paintings will be timeless. I've seen replicas here and there like memories from a forgotten past. I love his use of colors, shapes and that emotion his paintings capture. I'll probably buy one for my mother some day, but his art is worth checking out if you're into the African American scene.
Barnes came to painting after a career in professional football, as an offensive lineman with the San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos. Teammates called him "Big Rembrandt." He could take on a defensive lineman, then commit the encounter to canvas.
Many people would call Barnes a "black painter." He preferred the description "neo-Mannerist." Barnes never painted his subjects with their eyes open. "We don't see each other," he said once in an interview. "We are blind to each other's humanity." -- NPR
Via Kanye