Daily Inspiration: Meet Gunner Barnes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gunner Barnes.

Hi Gunner, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
It all started with taking photos and videos in high school. Then I decided to go the college route where I learned even more about videography and photography and while working other side jobs, I started to do more and more freelance work which led me to doing photography, videography and social media content creating full time! It’s led me to shooting photos of National Parks, big bands, and presidents. I decided to stay in my hometown of Chillicothe, Ohio where I’ve worked with the community with my artwork and even became a City Councilman on top of it. Bit of a weird segway, but that’s the cool thing about art. It’ll take you places you never thought you’d see.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’d say it’s been a rather smooth road with a few potholes here and there. My professor and mentor in college, Rick Barnes, told me “Freedom lies on the other side of discipline.” The arts can be very rewarding, but you need to keep your skills honed and stay focused on it. In today’s world where people can create art faster than ever before, it can be a little difficult to put yourself out there. “Imposter Syndrome” comes to mind and once that hits, it can be a bit tough to get out of that mindset, but once you realize you’re not in any competition, and that people enjoy seeing your art, then you have all the power in the world. It’s a bit of a hurdle to get over, but the mindset afterwards is pretty positive. Art is about sharing your thoughts with others. There’s no better feeling than community.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I take photos of everything and anything, but if I had to really narrow it down, I would say Nature, Street, and Event Photography are my favorites. A lot of folks around my area really like my nature photography and I’m fortunate enough to be able to sell prints of my work personally and also at a local shop in town called Mill City.

I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve had people see my photos and go “You make Chillicothe look like a tourist destination. A place to visit.” and that always makes me feel good. My photos have been in publications and such, and I love that, but hearing folks say that really means the world because I love my hometown. So many of us want to always leave our hometowns, and there’s nothing wrong with it, but sometimes there can be some negativity about it. Being from a small town has it’s perks, along with it’s struggles, but I always want my art to make this place better than how I found it. There are a lot of people doing some rather impressive things here and I want to highlight that with my art the best I can.

I think what sets me apart is my willingness to listen and be candid with others. Art can get a bad rep sometimes where others could come off snooty and pretentious. Art is for everyone and I want people to embrace it.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
This is going to sound pretty Appalachian, but my favorite memory is going to Flea Markets with my dad as a kid. I’d see all these wild things you wouldn’t see at a regular department store and it was always an adventure.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://gunnerbarnes.myportfolio.com/home
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gunnerbarnes_/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gunner.barnes.7