Mr. Leroy

Artist Information

William Tolliver was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Though he lacked formal education and grew up impoverished, he went on to teach himself art through books he found in the library and those brought to him by his mother. His mother, who loved to draw, encouraged his painting after noticing his talent. Using inexpensive oil pastels and watercolor sets, Tolliver recreated his everyday environment growing up in Mississippi. Tolliver's paintings depict farmers, cotton pickers in the field, mothers and children, and street musicians. Bright, color-rich palettes and abstract style elements are common in William Tolliver's African American paintings.