Ernie Barnes 1938-2009

Ernie Barnes began his career as an offensive lineman - playing pro football for six seasons with the San Diego Chargers, the New York Titans, and the Denver Broncos. Eventually, Barnes grew disillusioned with the conflict. In interviews he had been known to say that he hated the violence and physical torment of the sport. Barnes' work was brought to the attention of art critics who compared his work to that of George Bellows.

Barnes attended North Carolina College as an art major on full athletic scholarship. Ed Wilson, who taught sculpting, had a remarkable impact on Barnes. First, he taught him about the work of the early 20th century African American artists. Then, he taught him how to translate his athleticism on the field to the canvas. Barnes populated his canvasses with elongated forms full of movement and was influenced by the Italian Mannerist painters, as well as Thomas Hart Benton and Charles White. His personal style was accessible and resonated soundly with people. Many of his paintings were found in the homes of major film and television stars and received national exposure through the television and music industries.

In 2019, the California African American Museum (Los Angeles) held a retrospective of Barnes' work which included art and ephemera documenting his life and career and featured the iconic painting The Sugar Shack.

The North Carolina Museum of History (Raleigh), also held the exhibition, The North Carolina Roots of Artist Ernie Barnes from June 29, 2018-May 27, 2019.