Ben Tolman


Artist Statement

I have been living in Washington, DC for the last 10 years. I graduated from the Corcoran College of Art and Design in 2005.

To date most of my work consists of imaginative, minutely detailed ink drawings. My compositions often combine time-honored motifs such as the nude and self-portraiture along with bizarre landscapes and imaginative creatures. Through my work, I’m trying to come to grips with the juxtapositions in life between the mundane patterns and the extraordinary peculiarity that life exists in the first place.

While going through the repetition of everyday tasks it is easy to forget just how strange and complex life is. I’m constantly amazed by how this whole strange project of existence continues to unfold so flawlessly.

Long ago, as a child, I abandoned any cultural mythology as an explanation for life. So I have the freedom to just reflect on the mystery of it all without any prejudice. The more I learn the more mysterious everything becomes, and that’s what keeps me motivated.

Ben Tolman’s Website




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