Tom Barnes is widely recognized both nationally and internationally for his distinctive style of figurative paintings. Since 1992, the subject of figures, expressions, attitudes, and demeanors has been the focal point of Barnes’s work.
Barnes grew up immersed in pine forests and coastal plains of South Georgia where rattlesnakes, shrimp, oysters, and double-bourbons were a real thing. His first exposure to art was at the Telfair Academy of Art in Savannah in the 1960s, where he spent weeks visiting family during summer school breaks. Besides the annual museum visits, Barnes was influenced by the extremely elegant fashion-conscious twins, Bess and Lila (his Grandmother and her Irish-twin sister).
The combination of art and fashion resulted in a life-long influence on his artistic style.
Barnes’s subjects are predominately women. “The subtext of each of my images is that women are captivating, capable, and have a strong presence. I represent them in their fashion statement and their posturing. The most significant element is that they are looking back at the viewer intently, resulting in truly thought-provoking works of art.” The gentleman in of his couple’s paintings is Sir Arthur Dashford, a complete figment of Tom’s imagination (some say, a self-portrait) and a fitting armpiece for his ladies.
Barnes elongates his figures, an exaggeration of features that is often associated with Mannerism. The movement started during the Renaissance when artists elongated their subjects to increase the sense of elegance and grace. El Greco, Reynolds, and Modigliani are some of the masters of Mannerism. Barnes adds a touch of liquid 14kt gold to each painting, a nod to one of his faves, Klimt.
Works of Tom Barnes can be found in residential and corporate art collections around the world. He is represented by Mary Martin Galleries in Charleston.