About Ernie Barnes (Career Highlights)

ART CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1966	- Debut solo exhibition, "Football In Action," Grand Central Art Galleries, Manhattan, New York – hosted by Sonny Werblin, owner of the New York Jets.
1968	- Solo exhibition, "The Sports Art of Ernie Barnes," McKenzie Gallery, Los Angeles – hosted by Tom Harmon.
1969	- Solo exhibition, the McKenzie Gallery, Los Angeles – hosted by Charlton Heston.
1970	- Solo exhibition, the McKenzie Gallery, Los Angeles – hosted by Adela Rogers St. John.
1971	- Solo exhibition, the Agra Gallery, Washington, D.C. – hosted by Congressmen Jack Kemp and John Conyers.
	- Solo exhibition, Elizabeth City State University, North Carolina.
1972-90	- Traveling solo exhibition, "The Beauty of the Ghetto" National Tour:
	The Heritage Gallery, Los Angeles – hosted by Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley (1972) The California Science & Industry Museum – hosted by Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley (1972) Atlanta High Memorial Museum – hosted by Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson (1972) North Carolina Central University Art Museum – hosted Durham Mayor James Hawkins (1972) Orr's Gallery, San Diego – hosted by Senator Lionel Van Deerlin (1974) The California Science & Industry Museum – hosted by Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley (1974) Museum of African Art, Washington, D.C. – hosted by Ethel Kennedy and Brig Owens (1974) Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Center, Brooklyn – hosted by Ethel Kennedy (1975) The Grant Wood Museum of Art, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (1976) The North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh – hosted by H. M. Michaux (1979) Grand Central Art Galleries, New York (1990)
1974-79	- Original paintings featured for four seasons on the CBS primetime TV series, "Good Times."
1976	- Painting, "Sugar Shack," featured as the cover art on Marvin Gaye's album, "I Want You."
	- Solo exhibition, North Carolina University Art Museum, Durham.
1977	- Solo exhibition, Heritage Gallery, Los Angeles.
1978	- Solo exhibition, North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh – hosted by Governor James Hunt.
	- Solo exhibition, "Athlete As An Artist," Spectrum Fine Art Gallery, New York.
1979	- Solo exhibition, "Ten Who Remember," Seagram's, New York – hosted by Edgar Bronfman.
	- Solo exhibition, North Carolina Art Society Collectors Gallery.
	- Untitled painting featured as the cover art on Donald Byrd's album, "Donald Byrd and 125th Street, NYC."
1980	- Painting, "Late Night DJ," featured as the cover art on the Curtis Mayfield album, "Something to Believe In"
1983	- Solo exhibition, Spectrum Fine Art Gallery, Los Angeles
1984	- Appointed official sports artist for the Los Angeles Olympic Summer Games. Commissioned by L.A. Olympic Organizing Committee to create five original paintings and act as spokesman for the Games, encouraging inner-city youth.
	- Solo exhibition, "Victor's Crown": Heritage Gallery, Los Angeles, and the Calvert Collection, Washington, D.C. – hosted by Congressman Jack Kemp.
1986	- Painting, "Head Over Heels," featured as the cover art on The Crusaders' album, "The Good and Bad Times."
1987	- Painting, "Fastbreak," commissioned of the championship Los Angeles Lakers basketball team.
1988	- Mural, "The Metamorphosis of Rocky," commissioned by Sylvester Stallone.
1992	- Solo exhibition, Heritage Gallery, Los Angeles
	- Painting, "Growth Through Limits," featured as an inspirational billboard, Los Angeles.
	- Mural, "Meeting the Challenge," commissioned for Seton Hall University, New Jersey.
	- Mural, "A Dream Confirmed," commissioned for St. Benedict's Prep School, Newark, New Jersey.
1995	- Traveling group exhibition, "20th Century Masterworks of African-American Artists." (Barnes was the only living artist included)
1996	- Major commissions included: - Painting, "Victory in Overtime," commissioned by owner Jerry Richardson for the Carolina Panthers football team.
	- Painting, "The Dream Unfolds," commissioned by the National Basketball Association in commemoration of their 50th anniversary. The original painting hangs in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.
1998	- Major commissions included a portrait of actor Will Smith with his sons.
	- Painting, "The Advocate," was donated to the North Carolina Central University School of Law.
1999	- The release of six Motivational Sports Posters.
2000	- Painting, "In Rapture," featured as the cover art on B.B. King's album, "Making Love is Good For You."
	- Series of Motivational Sports Posters contracted by Blue Mountain online greeting cards.
2001	- Seattle Art Museum: Formal unveiling of painting, "In Remembrance," a visual response to the Sept. 11 events.
	- Major commissions included a portrait, "Oscar the Champion," of boxer Oscar De La Hoya.
2002	- Painting, "In Remembrance," acquired by Philadelphia Park owner Robert Green on behalf of the City of Philadelphia.
2005	- Major commissions include "A Life Restored" commissioned by Kanye West

FOOTBALL CAREER

1959	- 10th-round draft choice by the world championship Baltimore Colts (Barnes was originally selected in the 8th-round by the Washington Redskins, who renounced the pick after discovering he was black).
1960-62	- Offensive guard for the San Diego Chargers (#61)
1963-64	- Offensive guard for the Denver Broncos (#62)
1965-66	- Commissioned by New York Jets owner Sonny Werblin to paint a series of paintings at a salary exceeding his football earnings
1966	- Retired from professional football at age 28
1993	- Named to the "All-Time Black College Football Team" by Sheridan Black Network

BOOKS

1995	- Autobiography, "From Pads to Palette," chronicles his childhood in the segregated South, his college and professional football career, to his first solo exhibition in New York City.

HONORS

1966	- Appointed "Official Artist" for the American Football League
1984	- Appointed official sports artist for the Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games
1985	- Named first "Sports Artist of the Year" by the United States Sports Academy
1988	- Honoree, Museum of African American Art, Los Angeles
1990	- Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts Degree, North Carolina Central University
1993	- Named to the "All-Time Black College Football Team" by the Sheridan Black Network
1995	- "Contributions to Humanity Award," by the United Negro College Fund
1996	- "Treasure of Los Angeles Award," by the Central City Association
1999	- "The University Award," by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors
2002	- Honoree, by the California Legislative Black Caucus
2004	- Named "America's Best Painter of Sports," by the American Sport Art Museum & Archives.

TELEVISION & ACTING CREDITS

1969-70	- Creator of the CBS primetime variety specials, "Super Comedy Bowl," which showcased some of the biggest names in pro football at the time, along with such entertainers as Lucille Ball, John Wayne and Burt Lancaster.
1969	- Co-starred in the feature film, "Number One," as the best friend of Charlton Heston's washed-up quarterback.
1971	- Appeared in the film, "Doctors' Wives," starring Dyan Cannon, Richard Crenna and Gene Hackman.
1974-79	- Original paintings featured for four seasons on the CBS television series, "Good Times." (Notably, the "JJ" character was inspired by the aspiration and art of Ernie Barnes.) Also in several guest appearances.
1975	- Appeared as an anesthesiologist on the ABC television series, "Doctor's Hospital," with George Peppard.
1981	- Co-starred with Louis Gossett, Jr., in the ABC Movie of the Week, "Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy ‘Satchel' Paige," as Josh Gibson.

PERSONAL

Born	- Durham, North Carolina on July 15, 1938 – shares birthday with Rembrandt.
Family	- Father, Ernest Barnes, Sr., worked as a shipping clerk at Liggett Myers Tobacco Company; mother, Fannie Mae Geer, employed as a domestic by prominent attorney, Frank Fuller, Jr.
	- His younger brother, James, continues to live in Durham, NC. His parents and his older half-brother, Benny Rogers, have passed.
	- Married since December 1984 to Bernadine "Bernie" Gradney, former faculty member at The Buckley School (Los Angeles) and Dalton Schools (New York).
	- Five adult children: Deidre, Michael, Sean, Erin and Paige.
High School	- Class of 1956, Hillside High School, Durham, NC; painted his first mural (in the student cafeteria) and is graduated with 26 college athletic scholarship offers.
College	- Historically black college, North Carolina College (now North Carolina Central University) on an athletic scholarship; majored in art and participated in his first (student) exhibition.

View the Ernie Barnes Black Art Gallery

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