Brian Tolbert Art
The Work

Series

Forever Incomplete

Forever Incomplete was the name I gave this series, but it also describes the process I created to finish my work. I wanted to push back against perfectionism. When I was younger, I made a lot of art that never saw the light of day because I thought it wasn’t “good enough” to share. Over time, that belief made me create less and less—until I was barely making art at all.

With Forever Incomplete, I gave myself one session to make each piece. Sometimes it took 45 minutes; other times, four hours. When I put the pencil down, the work was finished at whatever stage it had reached. I took a picture and shared it, then moved on. I wasn’t creating for an audience; sharing the work gave me accountability. It kept me from returning to nitpick every detail and reminded me to keep creating.

Year 3 (2019), from Forever Incomplete by Brian Tolbert

Featured artwork

Year 3 (2019)

Works in the series

55 items

Year 3 (2019)

Year 3 (2019)

Original · Available

With Love, from Pixburgh (2021)

With Love, from Pixburgh (2021)

Original · Available

Windows: Installation 02 (2020)

Windows: Installation 02 (2020)

Original · Available

Windows: Installation 01 (2020)

Windows: Installation 01 (2020)

Original · Sold / unavailable

Visions of Martin Luther staring at me (2018)

Visions of Martin Luther staring at me (2018)

Original · Available

Untitled 2 (2014)

Untitled 2 (2014)

Original · Sold / unavailable

Untitled (Him) (2015)

Untitled (Him) (2015)

Original · Available

Untitled (Her) (2015)

Untitled (Her) (2015)

Original · Sold / unavailable

Uncomfortable (2017)

Uncomfortable (2017)

Original · Available

The Ski Mask Way 2 (2015)

The Ski Mask Way 2 (2015)

Original · Available

The Ski Mask Way (2015)

The Ski Mask Way (2015)

Original · Available

The Devil Wears MAGA (2019)

The Devil Wears MAGA (2019)

Original · Available

Stop Killing Us (insert name here) (2018)

Stop Killing Us (insert name here) (2018)

Original · Sold / unavailable

Speaking Vision  (2018)

Speaking Vision (2018)

Original · Sold / unavailable

Speak your mind… (2016)

Speak your mind… (2016)

Original · Available

Slauson Boy (2019)

Slauson Boy (2019)

Original · Sold / unavailable

Sin is a Myth (2019)

Sin is a Myth (2019)

Original · Available

Shawn (2017)

Shawn (2017)

Original · Available

Remember one night I went to Erykah Badu house...she made tea for me (2015)

Remember one night I went to Erykah Badu house...she made tea for me (2015)

Original · Sold / unavailable

Playgirl (2016)

Playgirl (2016)

Original · Available

Play Your Cards Right (2018)

Play Your Cards Right (2018)

Original · Available

Piru Love (2018)

Piru Love (2018)

Original · Available

Octobers Very Own (2018)

Octobers Very Own (2018)

Original · Available

Most Dope (2018)

Most Dope (2018)

Original · Sold / unavailable

More Malcolm Little than Martin Luther (2015)

More Malcolm Little than Martin Luther (2015)

Original · Sold / unavailable

Many hands of the revolution (2020)

Many hands of the revolution (2020)

Original · Sold / unavailable

Make America Hate Again (2017)

Make America Hate Again (2017)

Original · Available

Make America Great Again? Yes We Can (2017)

Make America Great Again? Yes We Can (2017)

Original · Available

Made You Look (2017)

Made You Look (2017)

Original · Available

Long Live Wopo (2018)

Long Live Wopo (2018)

Original · Sold / unavailable

Live from a Pandemic: Frontrow at the Shitshow (2020)

Live from a Pandemic: Frontrow at the Shitshow (2020)

Original · Available

Introduced her to my Stove (2015)

Introduced her to my Stove (2015)

Original · Available

I'm free to be what I want (2016)

I'm free to be what I want (2016)

Original · Available

How Long Will They Mourn Me? (2016)

How Long Will They Mourn Me? (2016)

Original · Sold / unavailable

Hands You Were Dealt 3 (2019)

Hands You Were Dealt 3 (2019)

Original · Available

Hands You Were Dealt 2 (2019)

Hands You Were Dealt 2 (2019)

Original · Available

Hands You Were Dealt 1 (2019)

Hands You Were Dealt 1 (2019)

Original · Available

Free Wop (2015)

Free Wop (2015)

Original · Available

Exodus (2017)

Exodus (2017)

Original · Available

Every man wants a queen (2015)

Every man wants a queen (2015)

Original · Available

Empty Universe (2017)

Empty Universe (2017)

Original · Available

Come Fly With Me (2017)

Come Fly With Me (2017)

Original · Available

Chadwick

Chadwick

Original · Available

All Power to the People (2017)

All Power to the People (2017)

Original · Available

Ain't No Tuition for Having No Ambition (2017)

Ain't No Tuition for Having No Ambition (2017)

Original · Available

Ah ha, hush that fuss (2015)

Ah ha, hush that fuss (2015)

Original · Sold / unavailable

A Vendetta (2015)

A Vendetta (2015)

Original · Available

20/20 (2017)

20/20 (2017)

Original · Available

The Duality of Man

The Duality of Man

Original · Available

Selfie Harm

Selfie Harm

Original · Available

Open Up (The Real U)

Open Up (The Real U)

Original · Sold / unavailable

All of Us (R Broken)

All of Us (R Broken)

Original · Sold / unavailable

Let It Go

Let It Go

Original · Available

HELD

HELD

Original · Available

Beyond Broken

Beyond Broken

Original · Sold / unavailable