For those of you who've followed my blog, you may have noticed some of the artwork that I've chosen to include with my writings. Most of these were pieces portraying the Olympics or football and were done by artist Ernie Barnes.

Barnes died this week at the age of 70. A former professional football player, Barnes gained my attention with the paintings he commissioned for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Beth bought the set of five posters for me, and they still hang in my house. He was unquestionably my favorite sports artist.

The things that most captivated me about his art were his portrayal of athletic bodies and determination. I remember hearing that his characters always had their eyes closed, too. That is mentioned in the obituary from the April 30 Los Angeles Times.

The Times also provide a link to a photo gallery of Barnes and some of his work.