William Barnes

William Barnes (1958-2023) grew up in California before continuing his art studies at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa and University of in Iowa City, Iowa. While he attended the University of Iowa, he studied art history and concentrated in American Realism. (For information about American Realism, see Breaking the Prairie Sod in this book.) Barnes was known for being an American painter of small landscapes and still-life studies combining unlikely small objects.

Until his death in April 2023, Barnes taught adult literacy and voluntarily created art installations at the Des Moines Public Library. For Barnes, volunteering gives him fresh eyes on the world. “If I’m not volunteering somewhere, I’m not living,” says Barnes. “It’s fun. It keeps me nimble and lets me see what kids are into these days.” The library is lucky to have someone like Barnes to help us beautify our spaces and make things more exciting for our patrons.

SOURCE - https://numbersalive.org/inferences-drawn-william-barnes-tom-rosborough/ (Aug, 2025) & https://www.dmpl.org/blog-entries/volunteer-spotlight-bill-barnes (Aug, 2025)