Meet Jarrod Barnes | Costume Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jarrod Barnes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jarrod, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I believe the arts are the foundation of civilization. Without them, ideas lay stagnant and dreams are suppressed. Being an artist, I am burdened to release the thoughts and images in my mind and manifest them into tangible work that provokes thought, joy, and truth.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I began my career as a costume designer by working as a wardrobe master. As a wardrobe master, I was responsible for maintaining and repairing as well as assisting costume designers with costumes for plays. After a couple of years, I was granted the opportunity to costume my first professional theatre play with Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theater Company and it my career went forward from there. I had such a strong desire to be adesigner that even in the times that would have seemed to be difficult to others and many times were difficult times for me, my drive to do this kept me afloat and meant more to me than anything that I could go through. I’ve learned so many lessons along the way but the most important lesson that I’ve learned in this field is to be true to yourself which leads to you being true and what you present to the world. Also, it is important to do your research. Whenever you have to fight for something that you want to show all the stage because others may not necessarily know where it comes from, you need to have your resources in order so that you can be ready whenever you are challenged. I want to leave a legacy of being that type of costume designer. I want to show the world the beauty of black people throughout the ages and present day and the strength of who we are. I get my biggest Joy from showing other people the pizzazz and style of black people. We have always done it big even when we’ve had very little.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Atlanta has its best qualities displayed in the form of nightlife. However, the best days start in the West Midtown area where there’s the door to door eateries that have some of the most amazing brunches that can be found on the east coast. One particular place would be virgils Gullah Kitchen on Marietta Street. A wonderful place to go for a good drink and dinner on any given night would be City Winery. There are often wonderful concerts there featuring some of Atlanta’s best local artists. The Atlanta botanical gardens are also a wonderful place at dusk when the moonlight is peaking as the sun is going down.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Dr. L. Nyrobi Moss Kappitola Williams
Juel Lane
Darell Hunt

Instagram: Jarrods1977