Curtis Barnes, Sr., Dayton Icon
Dayton Art Institute showcases work by painter and educator, Curtis Barnes, Sr. Barnes, a longtime fixture of Dayton’s art scene. His bold, colorful and experimental paintings are a distinctive blend of naturalism with abstraction. Barnes’ works 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 is recognized for his artistic contribution and was presented with the “Paul Laurence Dunbar Humanitarian Award” in 1994 and the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Ohio Arts Council in 2008.