Barton was born in Quorn (South Australia) and moved to Sydney as a child.

He volunteered for military service in 1916 and was a machine gunner during the first world war. After he was wounded and lost an eye, he took up sketching while recuperating in hospital in France. When the war ended, he attended the London School of Arts.

On the long journey back to Australia, Barton produced a magazine, Boomerang. Living initially in Brisbane, he worked as a signwriter, then as a portrait artist at David Jones (possibly in Sydney). In 1929, he drew a series of political posters backing the Labor Party at the 1932 Queensland state election, attacking Country and Progressive National Party (CPNP) Premier Arthur Moore.

Barton was resident artist at Luna Park from 1935 to 1970 and is regarded as one of Australia's finest exponents of fairground art. Along with murals and other artwork through the park, he painted the fifth entrance face (in 1950 or 1954) based on Old King Cole. It remained until 1973 and inspired the eighth face unveiled in 1995.

Barton produced many cartoons, comic strips and comic books, most of which were not published. He drew Frank Johnson one-shots (~1945-1947) and Gem comics. He also worked for OPC's Hurricane Comics (~1947).

He also illustrated the children's book Sinky Boo by Ann Maclean (Press Feature Service, [1950?]).

The Art Barton Park (west of Luna Park) was completed in his memory in 2007, overlooking the harbour and Ferris wheel. Along the adjacent Peter Kingston Walkway are miniature sculptures of comic and children's book characters Jimmy Bancks' Ginger Meggs, Dorothy Wall's Blinky Bill, Norman Lindsay's Magic Pudding, R.B.Clark's Boofhead, Pat Sullivan's Felix the cat, and May Gibbs' Bib and Bub.