A New York native, artist Barry Charles Johnson attended the High School of Art and Design and Brooklyn College where he studied painting under John D'Arcangelo, Harry Holzman and Phillip Pearlman. He was included in the influential group exhibition Harlem Artists '69 at the Studio Museum in Harlem in 1969. His paintings have been included in numerous solo and group exhibitions in New York galleries including the solo exhibition Images and Dreams at the Cinque Gallery in 1996.
His large body of abstraction is inspired by jazz music: "With all the styles that have preceded us in the history of art, I think improvisation is the only way to new imagery. I try to paint like Miles Davis played. Using the jazz players' musical form rather than showing you a musician playing, for me, this is the path to new ground."
