Don Barnes

Your series Concrete Noir beautifully captures the tension between beauty and decay. What first drew you to explore this duality through black and white imagery?

I’ve always seen beauty and decay as two sides of the same thing. The older I get, the more I notice how cracks, stains, and shadows tell the truth about life. Black and white lets me strip everything down to emotion—no gloss, no distraction, just what’s real.

You describe your work as a blend of street art and digital precision. How do you approach balancing spontaneity and control in your creative process?

I start loose—textures, graffiti, old walls, whatever feels alive—and then I bring in the digital part to shape it. It’s like catching a moment before it fades and freezing it. I try not to overthink it. If it still feels raw when I’m done, I know it’s right.

Don Barnes | Electric Rain

Cleveland and St. Louis both have strong urban identities. How have these cities influenced your visual language and themes?

Both cities have that grit—working class, worn edges, pride that doesn’t need to be loud. I grew up around that. The weathered buildings, the neon signs still hanging on, people just getting through the day—that’s all part of what I see and what I create. There’s a quiet beauty in that kind of survival.

Don Barnes | Southpaw Saint

Texture plays a key role in your art—from wet concrete to glistening skin. How do you use texture to express emotion?

Texture’s what makes something feel real. Smooth surfaces don’t tell stories. I like things that look touched, scarred, or lived in. When I add texture, I’m adding memory—it gives the piece weight, like it’s been through something.

Don Barnes | Melting Lips

What does “beauty in the overlooked” mean to you in the context of contemporary urban life?

It means paying attention to what most people walk past. A cracked wall, a torn poster, a reflection in a puddle after the rain—those moments say more about life than any perfect picture. I think there’s beauty in the imperfect because it feels honest.

Don Barnes | Tattooed Rebel

The presence of rain and neon light in some of your pieces gives them a cinematic feel. Are you inspired by film or photography in your compositions?

Definitely. I grew up on film noir, old movies, and photography that told stories through light and shadow. I see my work like movie stills—moments suspended in time, full of mood, with just enough mystery to make you wonder what happened before and after.

Don Barnes | Street Bandit

Concrete Noir seems deeply personal—almost like a visual diary of resilience. What message do you hope viewers take away from it?

That there’s strength in being real. Life’s not clean or easy, and neither is beauty. I want people to see that even in broken places, there’s something worth holding onto. It’s about finding light in what’s worn down, not pretending it’s not there.