The Art of Danny Barnes

The Art of Danny Barnes

Daniel, my brother

You are older than me

Do you still feel the pain

of the scars that won't heal

Your eyes have died

But you see more than I

Daniel, you're star

in the face of the sky

Elton John

The Art of Danny Barnes

Growing up in Camden, Arkansas, the sun seemed to shine on Danny Barnes. He was bright, beautiful, and athletic. He represented everything that was right with the world. One day, however, while riding a mini bike in his neighborhood, he was hit by a car and left with severe brain damage. The sun, it seemed, had set for Danny. With no friends and nothing to which he could look forward, Danny began to paint—mostly paint by number kits. He would repurchase the same kit and paint it over and over again. He chose his own colors and seldom painted within the prescribed lines. None of them ever turned out the same. Sometimes they were messy. Always they were beautiful. Eventually, the art world began to recognize his form of painting as legitimate and originally interpretive.

Danny’s art, like his life, is a testament to the fact that while not always painting within the lines nor rigidly following the numbers, something beautiful and noble might emerge.

Danny is not a commercial artist. His exhibits include some of his early interpretive works, experimental duplicates of other artists’ canvasses, and original sketches and paintings. The collection has been shown in several Arkansas galleries and was featured on the cover of a publication benefiting handicapped students.

Text for the Web Pages of The Art of Danny Barnes was written by Danny's sister, Betsy Barnes Ridout

E-mail to Mary Barnes

This page was created by Mary Barnes

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