As soon as he could hold a pencil, the artist started expressing his artistic talents. One of his first drawings was a threshing machine on his grandfather's farm in Ohio. "He drew all the little details," remembers his mother, who encouraged her son to pursue his art.

Currently, Barnhouse has settled in the Americana genre, constantly working with illumination and adding a nostalgic touch to make viewers feel they are actually present and a part of the painting.

Barnhouse's works have earned many awards and honors. He was voted one of America's three most popular print artists of 1995 and 1996 in dealers surveys conducted by U.S. Art magazine. He was included in Informart's "Top 10 Hottest New Artists" in 1995 and moved into number three position in 1996. He has been featured in numerous newspaper and magazine articles.