Listen Up! 1980

Ernie Barnes' painting, Listen Up!, is a jiving scene done with oils, that feels more like a happening than a still life. I find myself drawn into Barnes' process, the way he allows the paint to have its own say, kinda thick and juicy. Look at the dude in the spotlight, the main man, with his cane and slightly too-small suit. He's practically glowing, Barnes really lays on the lighter shades of brown here, it makes the guy pop. The texture is something else, you can almost feel the roughness of the fabric and the sheen of the stage lights. It's physical, like you could reach out and touch it. Barnes reminds me a bit of Jacob Lawrence, who painted the Great Migration series. Both artists capture the energy and rhythm of everyday life, but through different lenses. Where Lawrence is clear and concise, Barnes is all about the vibe. And that's what makes art so damn cool, right? No one way to do it, just a whole lotta ways to see and feel.