We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Brian Tolbert a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Brian, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
I recently departed from corporate America to fully pursue my passion as a visual artist. Over the past 11 years, I dedicated myself to corporate training, culminating in my role as Director of Global Learning & Development. Throughout my professional journey, I often found myself as the sole representative of my demographic—both in appearance and life experiences.
Being raised in poverty amidst a backdrop of racial disparity and violence is unfortunately not an uncommon narrative in America. However, transcending those circumstances and navigating the corporate landscape is a distinct challenge. As I achieved more, I noticed fewer individuals who shared my background or could fully empathize with my journey. My upbringing instilled in me a fierce determination to escape those hardships, yet it also left lasting scars that hindered my personal growth and interactions.
Much of my journey involved unlearning survival strategies that served me well in my early environment but proved detrimental in professional settings. Many behaviors that ensured my safety in the past clashed with expectations for success in corporate environments.
Despite these challenges, navigating through them provided ample opportunities for growth. I learned to advocate for myself effectively, overcoming barriers such as prejudice and stereotypes. At pivotal moments, mentors like David Fitton guided me, recognizing my potential and helping me refine my communication style to avoid being pigeonholed as “the angry black man.”
As I bridged the gap between my past and present selves, I embraced authenticity and transparency. I realized that my diverse perspectives and experiences added significant value to discussions. Moreover, I found purpose in amplifying the voices of marginalized individuals who lacked representation in corporate settings.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m Brian Tolbert, a visual artist from Pittsburgh, PA, living in Washington, DC. Growing up in a poor black neighborhood, I experienced numerous violent and traumatic situations that left me emotionally stunted. Art provided me with a language to communicate how those events impact and shape my experience in the world.
As a child art offered a safe space for me to explore creativity and escape the violent realities of my life. Through various art initiatives and programs, I earned a scholarship to The Art Institute, where I obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Graphic Design. My professional career has encompassed commercial graphic design, consulting, fashion design, and corporate learning & development. I am now rediscovering my original love of art—drawing.
My work is a deeply personal journey of self-discovery, showcasing who I’ve been, who I am, and who I am becoming. My goal is to ease stigma, heal trauma, and encourage conversations about difficult topics in the black experience.
I’ve recently released collection 001 – the first in a series of works I’ve meticulously crafted over the last decade. This series narrates my story, one immersed in blackness, a narrative that white paper cannot accurately convey.
As an artist my canvas is equally critical to my process and what I aim to convey to audiences. Some canvases serve as placeholders for stories, while others take on the role of main characters. I choose cardboard because it is often disregarded but possesses a richness that captures the complex texture of my experiences.
Throughout my art I explore themes related to insecurities, self-worth, expressions of grief, loss, identity, pop culture, mortality, and morality, all seen through the perspective of an unapologetically black man trying to figure this life thing out.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three of these are interrelated but distinctly different qualities that have been critical to my journey.
Firstly, trying new things and constantly evolving has been paramount. I’ve engaged in various pursuits that were adjacent to art but not directly ‘being an artist.’ Whether starting and running an online magazine for 7 years, managing fashion brands, or my time in corporate America, I brought my full self to each venture. Now, I can integrate the lessons and skills from these experiences into my path as a professional artist.
I rejected the notion of sticking to one thing and instead embraced new ventures. Out of these endeavors came growth, but also failure.
Secondly, I’ve discovered that I grow most through failure. Trying has always been my most effective way to learn. Even if the outcome doesn’t align with my initial goals, there’s always something valuable in the process—whether positive or negative—that I glean.
Finally, another trait instrumental to my journey has been engaging with my fears. Feeling fearful doesn’t necessarily indicate something is wrong; rather, it’s an opportunity for acknowledgment. I confront my fears, dissecting the realities and addressing the components grounded in truth. Then, I challenge the fears not based in reality. This approach empowers me to determine the best path forward, rather than allowing fear to immobilize me.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
What people are seeing now, is the direct result of a lot of interpersonal work I’ve done the past twelve months. I’ve been a proponent of therapy for a while now, my wife is in fact a licensed marriage and family therapist, so I’ve always seen the benefit of interpersonal work. However, after my mother passed in June 2021, my journey of interpersonal work became primary.
Last February, my wife and I spent a month in Medellin, Columbia and while there we were confronted with a lot of things about our marriage that needed to change.
On the surface, nothing was ‘wrong’ per say, but we weren’t in a healthy space. She asked me to read a book by bell hooks called ‘The Will to Change’ that changed my life. It helped me to understand myself better, to reject ideas around being a man and masculinity that I didn’t subscribe to consciously, but somehow still operated out of. It also, helped me to become a more vulnerable, compassionate, and transparent version of myself.
This directly led to me reading another book ‘Healing the Shame that Binds You’ by John Bradshaw. I can personally say, this was the most pivotal piece of literature I’ve ever read in my life. This book helped me to understand and address so much of what was holding me back both my personal and professional life from negative self-talk, to self-sabotage, to simply being a full person.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.foreverincompleteart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foreverincompleteart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foreverincompleteart
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianptolbert/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@foreverincompleteart
