I'm Brian Tolbert,

a visual artist based in Washington, DC. I'm known for my portraiture, self-portraits and surrealism. I produce small-scale graphite illustrations on cardboard with minimal color, using strokes and shading to create tangible texture. I then rework large scale reproductions on canvas using various mediums to reimagine the original artwork.

ULTRABLACK is my latest body of work celebrating the beauty, complexity, and unapologetic brilliance of Black identity—through striking contrasts and expressive compositions where Blackness is not explained, but honored, seen, and exalted.

Learn More About Me.