Barrett Keithley

Welcome to Barrett Keithley's website, the official home of Chicago-based artist Barrett Keithley. Through vibrant colors, layered textures, and powerful imagery, Barrett’s work celebrates African American culture, resilience, and beauty.

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About the Artist

Barrett Keithley is a multidisciplinary artist, curator, and community servant from the South Side of Chicago. He grew up in Roseland, also known as the Wild Hundreds, where his creative roots were shaped by both the challenges and the culture of his neighborhood. A self-taught artist with training in portrait and still life painting. Barrett uses his work to reflect the power, struggle, and beauty of the communities that raised him.What began as a personal outlet quickly evolved into a full-scale creative career. Barrett has produced major mural projects across the city — from the South and West Sides to the Loop — and commissions for organizations like NASCAR, The Lyric Opera, the Black McDonald’s Owners Association, and the Chicago Loop Alliance.He is also the founder of a non-profit called Paint the City where he partners with Chicago’s youth to create vibrant public art that tells community stories, inspires pride, and fosters creativity. Additionally he owns Crown B Studios, a cultural platform designed to spotlight and support emerging Black creators.Barrett’s work draws from Afrofuturism, street art and ancestral memory. Whether exhibited in galleries or painted on city walls, his art is rooted in a mission of service: to show people their beauty and, in doing so, awaken their brilliance.

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A hidden World-About Barrett’s Process

Barrett Keithley begins each painting with line work that serves as both foundation and narrative. Sometimes these lines resemble people’s side profile or people’s hands. Other times, they unfold as fully realized abstract compositions in their own right, each capable of standing alone as a finished artwork.As layers of paint build, the line work recedes but never disappears. It continues to shape the composition, guiding rhythm, balance, and spatial flow. Each subsequent layer also holds its own integrity, contributing a unique narrative to the evolving work. Fragments of architecture, hints of abstraction, and hidden structures converge to create a singular, multilayered visual experience.Keithley’s paintings are not merely surfaces of color and form—they are layered worlds, each one grounded in the unseen yet deeply felt, where every layer could exist as a painting in its own right.

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The People Series- A Limited Edition Collection

Barrett Keithley’s People Series is a powerful collection of installations that introduces a world of recurring characters—figures you can expect to see throughout his work and grow to love over time. Each character is instantly recognizable through Barrett’s signature line work, which gives them presence, personality, and emotional weight without ever dictating a single interpretation.While Royale, Her, and Angry Man are among the most iconic figures in this universe, they represent only a few of the many characters that inhabit Barrett’s creative world. There are countless others—some seen, some emerging—each offering new angles, new meanings, and new opportunities for connection.The People Series uses these characters to offer larger social commentary—artworks designed to bring people across the aisle together. Barrett believes that when people are talking, listening, and connecting, the threat of violence goes down. His work creates those openings for dialogue by centering humanity first.Each piece in the series illuminates different dimensions of Black culture while embodying strength, resilience, joy, vulnerability, and beauty. Rather than telling viewers what to think, the work invites conversation, encouraging people to see themselves, each other, and the world differently.Royale — A proclamation of dignity and regality, celebrating Black excellence and the nobility found in everyday life.

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Murals & Public Art

King Me
2019 - Acrylic on canvas 12ft x 15ft

Ode To Our Ancestors
2021 - Spray paint and acrylic paint 18 ft x 40 ft

Bantu (4924 W Chicago Avenue)
2022 - Spray paint and acrylic 20 ft x 40 ft

Lyric Opera House, Factotum
2023 - Spray paint 60 ft x 30 ft

Ode To Our Ancestors (5255 W Chicago Ave)
2023 - Spray paint and Acrylic paint 18ft x 40ft

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Community Engagement

Barrett Keithley’s artistic vision extends far beyond the canvas. Through his nonprofit, he creates opportunities for art to serve as a bridge—connecting people, uplifting communities, and reshaping public spaces. His mission is rooted in accessibility: making art something people can not only see, but feel, live with, and be inspired by.Barrett actively gives back by investing in youth programming, mentorship, and workshops that nurture the next generation of Black and Brown creatives. His nonprofit provides platforms for emerging voices, ensuring that creativity and self-expression are accessible to all, regardless of background or circumstance.Beyond programming, Barrett is committed to beautifying the city through his public works. His murals, installations, and community projects transform walls and shared spaces into vibrant stories, turning overlooked corners into cultural landmarks. Each piece not only enriches the landscape but also sparks conversation and pride, reminding residents that their neighborhoods hold beauty, power, and meaning.For Barrett, art is more than expression—it is offering. It is a way of giving back, building community, and leaving a legacy of color, resilience, and joy throughout the city.

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Xperiences

Step into the world of curated vibes. Barrett also transmutes his art into Xperiences. Xperiences are showcases, events, and immersive moments brought to life- from open mics and live art shows to pop-ups, community activations, and elevated nightlife experiences. Every gathering is artfully designed to celebrate culture, connection, and creativity.