Brandon Surtain’s work reflects a confident balance between restraint and expression, uniting architectural precision with painterly emotion. His vividly composed paintings evoke a deep reverence for the New Orleans of his childhood; a city whose rhythm, color, and community remain central to his life and creative practice. His work explores themes of memory, cultural inheritance, and the living history embedded within the city’s built environment. Through nuanced shadow, color, and composition, Surtain transforms memory into place, suggesting the pulse of a French Quarter street or the cadence of a young drummer’s beat.
Surtain’s dedication to preserving the dynamic and static elements of the built environment extends beyond the canvas. He holds dual master’s degrees from Tulane University, one in Architecture and another in Sustainable Real Estate Development, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing from Louisiana State University, where he also played football for the LSU Tigers. His interdisciplinary approach bridges art, design, and urban development, reflecting a belief in the power of creative practice to shape and sustain community.
A native New Orleanian, Surtain serves as Assistant Director of Community Engagement at Tulane’s Albert and Tina Small Center for Collaborative Design. He is a member of the National Organization of Minority Architects and serves on the board of Broad Community Connections, a nonprofit fostering equitable development in New Orleans.