Art can move us, often in unexpected ways. It can profoundly shift a moment—or alter a life. That’s why we’re dedicating this issue to the artists who inspire us, including two people who found successful careers in the arts only after beginning elsewhere. We revisit the San Diego origins of world-renowned painter Ernie Barnes, whose time on the Chargers’ offensive line—and illustrating articles for San Diego Magazine— molded his uniquely expressive and kinetic style. And we step into the studio with Del Mar resident Dan “Nuge” Nguyen who, stifled under the rigidity of his role at an architecture firm, discovered an outlet—and eventually a calling—in carving wood into shapes that nod to bed sheets and snakes (see cover).

If it’s been a while since you had your own perspective-shifting encounter with art, our arts preview is your field guide to some of the county’s most compelling exhibitions, theater shows, concerts, and more. Or revisit classic rock through a fresh lens with SDSU-born band Silver Bullet.