Famed portrait artist Sylvia Rogers Barnes, 90 passed at her home in Sacramento on October 7, 2020. The first born to Kermit and Mabel Rogers of Hammond Indiana, Sylvia married Leonard Barnes in 1948. Sylvia and Leonard moved to California in 1955 where they raised four children, Tim, Scott, Lenita and Bonnie.
Sylvia began her formal art training in 1970 at the Thomas Leighton Art Academy in San Francisco. Receiving a teaching credential from Hayward State in 1976, Sylvia began teaching art at Diablo Valley School.
Pursuing her own career, Sylvia moved to Monterey and was associated with Faces West Portrait Studio and Gallery for 12 years where she painted thousands of custom portraits. Sylvia’s award-winning portraits are represented in many public and private collections worldwide. Her work graces many album covers of jazz greats as well as the halls of distinguished colleges. Sylvia is the first woman artist in history to be commissioned for a painting to be displayed in the US Army gallery in the Pentagon.
After a long, beautiful, art and love-filled life, Sylvia has gone to be with her daughter Bonnie and is survived by her two sisters, three children, eight grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
There will be a small service on November 19, 2020 11:00am at 5250 Front St. Rocklin, CA with reception to follow in great memory of Sylvia’s love for all.