
Of the many Midwestern artists focusing on landscape and still life compositions, William Barnes creates compositions which seem to contain some mystery or situation beyond the sum of the visual parts revealed. Although obviously aware of artists of the past, Barnes approaches but skirts any direct links with the surrealist or trompe l'oeil genres. His early realistic work with simplified forms and subdued coloring suggested Hopper without deriving directly in any way. His collages contain figures in situations and settings reminiscent of illustrations for 19th century French or German novels.
Barnes' extreme care in developing his small to medium-size acrylic or casein panels is apparent to even the casual viewer. Precision and intricacy of detail draw in and hold the viewer. His use of unusual objects commands admiration from collectors who value traditional rendering of form and color, as well as those fascinated by the juxtapositions of miscellaneous remnants of the natural and contrived universe.
Growing up in California, Barnes attended UCLA before studying with Byron Burford in Iowa City, whose course in materials and techniques introduced him to egg tempera and casein, his major media since. Soon after his Iowa City period, signs appeared of what has become Barnes' signature style - landscapes noted for their "loneliness" by a local critic alternated with still-life studies of odd combinations of small objects. Recently, after sojourns in Tucson and Santa Fe, Barnes is bringing a warmer, more relaxed ambience to his exotic works.
Since 1983 Barnes has exhibited in over 45 Midwestern and Southwestern exhibitions, and his work, which hangs in over 20 public and corporate collections, is sought after by a faithful and patient group of private collectors. Images of his work have been published in ArtNews, Southwest Art, New Art Examiner and New American Paintings.