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Born in Durham, North Carolina during the height of the Jim Crow era, by junior high, he was able to analyze and appreciate numerous works found on museum walls. During his childhood, Barnes was the victim of bullying. He would often seek refuge in his sketchbooks—drawing in areas on campus away from other students. A meeting with his masonry teacher and weightlifting coach, Tommy Tucker, helped fortify the self-discipline and dedication which would continue throughout his life, in art and in sports. By the time Barnes graduated from high school, he had twenty-six athletic scholarships. He then attended the North Carolina College at Durham on a full athletic scholarship where he majored in art. Although Barnes had been drawing and painting long before becoming a professional athlete, his work during and after his football career is what viewers have come to recognize. Barnes’ time playing in the NFL helped shape his iconic style of painting with figures who are often shown with lean, sinewy muscles that help accentuate their physical movements. Barnes’ work reflects both the pain and beauty of his experiences playing football, as well as the challenge of growing up as a black man in the south. In 1984, Barnes became the official artist for the Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, painting five themed images for the International Olympic Committee.