Barnes & Noble artwork in the coffee shops?

October 8, 2008 11:50 AM

Who is the artist behind the wraparound mural of writers/authors at the Barnes & Noble coffee shops? It looks so much like Thomas Hart Benton, yet I can find nothing from Google. I even called a few B&N stores and nobody knew. I know little of art and have hope in turning to the Mefite hive.
posted by Gerard Sorme to Media & Arts (2 answers total)

Best answer: I think it might be Gary Kelley
http://www.linesandcolors.com/2008/03/19/gary-kelly/
The style looks right.

He did do *some* of the murals
http://www.henrywmyrtle.com/Barnes%20and%20Noble/index.htm

And this says he did them nationwide
http://www.umpr.uni.edu/news.asp?NewsID=2577
"He has also created...Barnes & Noble cafe murals nationwide"
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Supplementary evidence: He was (is?) repped by Richard Solomon...who had another artist (Marc Summers) who did the bags for B&N. Maybe they got a 2-fer.
posted by Wink Ricketts at 12:29 PM on October 8, 2008

Response by poster: I think you nailed it, Wink. Thanks!
posted by Gerard Sorme at 2:18 PM on October 8, 2008