Ernie Barnes
Date of birth	15 July 1938(1938-07-15)
Place of birth	Durham, NC
Date of death	27 April 2009 (aged 70)
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight	250 pounds (113.4 kg)
Position(s)	Offensive Guard
College	North Carolina Central
Jersey Number	55
Career highlights
Honors	Official Artist of the American Football League
Stats
Statistics	DatabaseFootball
Teams
1960 1961-1962 1963-1964	AFL New York Titans AFL San Diego Chargers AFL Denver Broncos

Ernest Eugene "Ernie" Barnes Jr. (15 July 1938 – 27 April 2009)^[1] was an American Neo-Mannerist artist and former professional football player.

Contents 1 Life and work 2 See also 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Life and work

Ernie Barnes was born in Durham, North Carolina. He took up track and field and football in high school, and attended North Carolina Central University, where he played college football.^[2] Barnes played offensive guard for five seasons in the American Football League (AFL). He played for three teams: the New York Titans in 1960, the San Diego Chargers (1961–1962) and the Denver Broncos (1963–1964), and was designated as "Official Artist of the American Football League".

Barnes' most famous painting, The Sugar Shack, was featured on the cover of the Marvin Gaye album I Want You and in the closing credits of the 1970s U.S. sitcom Good Times.^[1] He also created many other paintings which were featured throughout the show as the character J.J. Evans' artwork.^[3] Barnes also appeared in small roles in a couple of episodes of the series.

His artwork is characterized by elongated figures, usually in motion. Owing to his athletic background, many of his paintings have a sports theme or fabled black athleticism.^[1] He was named Official Artist of the 1984 Summer Olympics and received the 1984 and 2004 Sport Artist of the Year Award presented annually by the American Sport Art Museum and Archives.

In 2004, rapper and record producer Kanye West commissioned Barnes to paint an interpretation of West's recovery from a 2002 near fatal car crash. The painting, named A Life Restored, measures 9 ft x 10 ft and hangs from West's dining room ceiling.

In 2005, three of Barnes works were exhibited in London, England at the Whitechapel Gallery in the Back to Black: Art, Cinema & the Racial Imaginary art exhibition. One version of Sugar Shack, Jake and New Heights were on display from June 7 - September 4, 2005.

In October 2007, Jack Kemp, who would later die the same week as Barnes, along with Donna Brazile, Susan Taylor, and Brig Owens, hosted in association with the National Football League "A Tribute to Artist and NFL Alumni Ernie Barnes" at the Time Warner Center in New York City. The exhibit was on view from October 23-29, 2007.

Barnes died on April 27, 2009, after a brief illness. He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Bernie, three daughters, two sons, and one brother, James Barnes of Durham, NC. Barnes donated his art and papers to his alma mater, North Carolina Central University in Durham. The university is planning a centennial and homecoming celebration in 2009 which will revolve around Barnes' donated art.^[3]

[edit] See also

• List of American Football League players.

[edit] References

3. Powell, Richard. J. Black Art and Culture in the 20th Century. London: Thames and Hudson, 1997.

4. Barnes, Ernie. From Pads to Palette. Waco, TX: WRS Publishing, 1995.

5. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-me-ernie-barnes30-2009apr30,0,2835443.story

6. Powell, Richard, Bailey, David A, and Archer-Straw, Petrine. Back To Black: Art, Cinema & the Racial Imaginary.

     London, England:  Whitechapel Gallery, 2005. 

[edit] External links

• Official website
• Barnes' 1964 Topps football card
• James A. Porter Colloquium on African American Art

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103674706

A Sad Day – Artist Ernie Barnes ... 300 x 342 - 13k - jpg mokellyreport.wordpress.com