Seasoned Artist
creating Paintings
My name is Cliff Barnes, a seasoned American artist with a passion for offering the best artwork nationwide. I am grateful to use my talents to see and interpret God’s life gift by capturing the American landscape scenes and wildlife through my watercolor and oil paintings.
Education
I am a native of California, graduated from Burbank High School and the highly recognized Art Center College of Design. My art career began as an architectural illustrator in Los Angeles after completing my service in the U.S. Army. I returned home and met a young lady while attending Hollywood Presbyterian Church who I eventually married.
Personal Life
When I married Betty we were able to buy a VW Camper and travel in Europe for one year. We camped in over a dozen countries and we especially enjoyed living in an apartment in Roquetas De Mar in Southern Spain during the Winter. I purchased oil paints, brushes and canvas in Seville, and painted in Europe for a year. We brought back those canvases to sell in various galleries and shows. It was so exciting to be able to be an artist and sell my art! My wife and I continued to travel in the United States and it provided me with a fresh outlook and continued inspiration to paint!
Art Gallery
For over 40 years, my art has been showcased and sold in many galleries in California (San Diego, Carmel, Santa Rosa, and Monrovia) and Scottsdale, AZ, Jackson, WY, CO, and Boulder City, NV. My art can be seen at the California Art Club Gallery on Old Mill Road in San Marino, and at various art galleries throughout the U.S. Please check the Art Shows tab at the top of our webpage for dates and names of the galleries.
Travelling Art Exhibits
My art is shown in various traveling art exhibits and galleries throughout the U.S. with the Oil Painters of America, the American Plains Artists, Watercolor West International, Laguna Plein Air Artists, the California Art Club and the American Impressionists Society. My paintings were also displayed in a unique show in Zurich, Switzerland.
Art Magazines
My art has been published in well known art magazines and more recently in 2024 in the January 2024 Issue of the Western Art Collector Magazine. You can find the full page Artist Focus section on page 123. Other magazines where you can read about Cliff Barnes are the American Artist and in the Southwest Art Magazine (September 2020 “Collecting Watercolor Paintings” and in the Dec. 2021-Jan 2022 in their special contest section). A five page article about me showing my paintings was published in the Art of the West Magazines (in May 1995 and also March/April issue in 2016). The Western Art Collector more recently published a full page article about me and my paintings entitled “Artist Focus” in their January 2020 issue. The Art of the West Magazine published my painting in their January 2020 Annual Guidebook showcasing the American Plains Artists Signature Exhibition and the Nov. 2021 issue.
Books
Special Commissions
Special Commissions
My biography and original oil painting of a stagecoach with accompanying cavalry from Fort Robinson (near Crawford, Nebraska) was published in a large volume listing many contemporary artists, entitled Contemporary Western Artists by Harold Samuels in 1987. Another book called Palette Pleasers has many of my original drawings. It is
My biography and original oil painting of a stagecoach with accompanying cavalry from Fort Robinson (near Crawford, Nebraska) was published in a large volume listing many contemporary artists, entitled Contemporary Western Artists by Harold Samuels in 1987. Another book called Palette Pleasers has many of my original drawings. It is especially unique as it has many recipes of noted individuals as Iron Eyes Cody, Ronald Reagan, Gene Autry, and artists R. Brownell McGrew, Burt Procter Reynold Brown, and Bettina Steinke. Some of my original drawings have also been published in another book entitled, “Preserving the Western Spirit” by Dr. Nicholas C. Polos printed in 1990.
Special Commissions
Special Commissions
Special Commissions
I take pride in the special commissions I was able to complete, including two 8 x 10 foot oil paintings. One painting depicted the Butterfield Stage coming through San Bernardino, and the other 8 foot by 10 foot oil painting was my rendering of a Frontier Family with their family traveling in a covered wagon in the Chino Hills. Both p
I take pride in the special commissions I was able to complete, including two 8 x 10 foot oil paintings. One painting depicted the Butterfield Stage coming through San Bernardino, and the other 8 foot by 10 foot oil painting was my rendering of a Frontier Family with their family traveling in a covered wagon in the Chino Hills. Both paintings hang in the rotunda of the San Bernardino County Government Building. For over 40 years I was among the artists who exhibited their art at the Festival of Art in San Dimas. Three different paintings were commissioned by the Festival and they include a watercolor painting of the Wells Fargo Stage and a portrait painted in oil of the recognized historian Frederick Renner. I especially enjoyed meeting Mr. Renner and his wife, Ginger Renner. In April 2016, I was commissioned to paint the portrait of Martin Grelle for the San Dimas Festival. He is a well established Western Artist who we have known for many years. All three special commissions are now in the permanent Art Collection at the San Dimas City Civic Center.
Awards
Special Commissions
Awards
In the Fall of 2023, the American Plains Artists selected my conte drawing called, Getting Ready to Dance for their Publisher's Award. It was the third Publisher's Award and so it was an amazing honor. In the summer, the Laguna Plein Air Artists selected my 6 x 9 oil painting of one of our favorite spots, "Time in Rockport" for third pl
In the Fall of 2023, the American Plains Artists selected my conte drawing called, Getting Ready to Dance for their Publisher's Award. It was the third Publisher's Award and so it was an amazing honor. In the summer, the Laguna Plein Air Artists selected my 6 x 9 oil painting of one of our favorite spots, "Time in Rockport" for third place. That same year In April 2023 my small 7 x 5 oil painting of a Zuni Indian girl entitled, "Little Winner" was awarded the $1,000 Best of Show at the American Plains Signature Artists Exhibit in Nebraska! I am celebrating my continued entry in special editions of the Honorary Lifetime Achievement Award and “Who’s Who in American Art”. The American Plains Artists have also awarded two Publishers Awards, one for a full page write up in the Art of the West Magazine in 2022, and the other in the Western Art Collector Magazine in 2019. Receiving over 40 Gold and Silver Medals from shows in Texas and California encouraged me to continue to paint scenes of our American West. 2012 was an amazing year having received the Best of Show from the American Plains Artists. an Animal Award from the Oil Painters of America, First Place in Watercolor from the American Cowboy Show in Arizona, and Best of Show Plein Air from the San Dimas Festival of Art. The American Indian and Cowboy Artists Exhibition at the Autry Museum was a special moment when I received two Gold Medals for my large watercolor painting and a conte drawing back in 1996. I want to acknowledge my long-time supporters who have followed me throughout the years and those of you who are new and interested in becoming a Cliff Barnes Art Collector. Please text or call me at (760) 228 1184 or email me at paintamerica@sbcglobal.net and we will send you more information about our events.