Curtis Barnes, Sr., Dayton Icon at Dayton Art Institute
A painter and educator, Curtis Barnes, Sr. was a longtime fixture of Dayton’s art scene. His bold, colorful, experimental paintings are a distinctive blend of naturalism and abstraction.
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Curtis Barnes, Sr., Dayton Icon at Dayton Art Institute
Curtis Barners, Sr., Dayton Icon
A painter and educator, Curtis Barnes, Sr. was a longtime fixture of Dayton’s art scene. His bold, colorful, experimental paintings are a distinctive blend of naturalism and abstraction. They frequently include self-portraits and portraiture depicting the people in his life. His influence is still felt today among his students and in the African American Visual Arts Guild, which he co-founded with artist “Bing” Davis in 1992. He was recognized for his artistic contribution and presented with the “Paul Laurence Dunbar Humanitarian Award” in 1994 and the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Ohio Arts Council in 2008.
This exhibition comes on the 90th anniversary of his birth and is a celebration of Barnes’ life and art. A DAI exclusive, this collection of works was drawn from his family and friends.
Exhibition is viewable through September 14, 2025, during regular museum hours.
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Dayton Art Institute
