In every small town, there’s someone whose story quietly weaves itself into the landscape—a life’s work built not for attention, but from a place of deep purpose. For Johnstown-born artist Barney Bellinger, that work has spanned five decades, countless mediums, and a lifetime of transformation.

Now, his remarkable journey is being honored right here at Fulton-Montgomery Community College in a new exhibition at the Perrella Gallery: Art & Design: The Art and Process of Barney Bellinger, opening October 1, 2025.

This isn’t just an art show. It’s a homecoming.

If you’ve ever passed a beautifully hand-lettered sign in Saratoga Springs, admired a piece of rustic furniture that felt alive, or stared at a painting that felt like it breathed—there’s a chance you’ve already met Barney’s work.

He began, like many local makers do, in a garage. In 1971, he turned his father’s shop into a custom paint studio, airbrushing motorcycles and vintage cars with bold, expressive vision. But nearly a decade in, a fire changed everything—leveling not just the building, but the path he thought he was on.

And then… he started again. Barney rebuilt from the ground up—this time with his hands, his heart, and the deep memory of walks in the forest with his grandfather, who taught him to listen to the woods. That memory became his new medium.