ARTIST

“If people say my paintings bring them closer to their roots, then that’s fine with me.”
—Jesse Barnes

The paintings of Jesse Barnes are some of the most popular and valuable works of art being produced today. His paintings garner a significant amount of worldwide recognition. He was even given the prestigious honor of the commission to produce a painting to benefit the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City. Even with worldwide fame, he made his home in the Ozark hills, right where it all started.

The Early Years

Jesse Barnes was born in Jefferson City in 1936 and moved to Springfield when he was two years old. He attended school in Springfield but dropped out before graduation to help support his family.

Jesse’s artistic ability developed early and people gained interest in his artwork before he was even a teenager. In fact, his elementary school principal actually bought his first original oil painting when he only ten years old.

Rise to Fame

Jesse refined his craft through his early years as he grew up through “self-taught” trial and error. Hallmark commissioned prints during this time as he worked with the craft guild. Through the guild, he displayed his works at malls throughout the Midwest and at Silver Dollar City. His paintings of country settings made him one of the most popular artists in the Branson amusement park, as visitors repeatedly asked where they could find the “light” painter.

Show Me Success

Word about Barnes’s unique style spread, and “The Light Painter” was soon a famous name among art circles. His first Limited Edition Print, “Night Before Christmas,” was released in 1983 and was a major success. The print was originally offered for $75 but is now sold in art stores for thousands of dollars, if you can find one. He developed a cult-like following, with fans standing in line for hours to buy the prints on the day they are released.

After the famous style debuted in 1983, Barnes released over seventy-five Limited Edition Prints and was named to the USArt Hall of Fame. He also created prints for the Bradford Exchange for Limited Edition Collector’s Plates. He lived in his hometown of Springfield, where he painted in a small room in his basement until in death in 2017 at the age of 80. His works were inspired by life in the Ozarks and his travels across the country, but Jesse stayed true to his roots by always calling Missouri his home.

EXTRA, EXTRA!

• Barnes owns the copyright to the title “The Light Painter.”
• At least one owl is included somewhere in almost every painting he produces.
• Here is his obituary from the funeral home.