Brian was born in Milikapiti on Melville Island. He went to school in Darwin & thereafter lived in central Australia, completing a teacher’s assistant course in the 1980s. In 1981 he participated in the Kulama ceremony held at Milikapiti. This important Tiwi ceremony is unfortunately rarely practiced any longer.

Brian painted for ceremony but not commercially until 2004 when he joined Jilamara. Brian say’s about his work “Sometimes there is a story that I follow to keep the memories alive. Like a journey of growing up going through all the stages to manhood – initiations.” His body design is an abstract design which is literally translated from ceremony, but also represents a person’s journey through life. His art has a sensitive feel, his mark making light and airy.

In recent years Brian has moved to Darwin for more living support, but when at the art centre full time he played an important role for Tiwi culture giving & receiving information within the arts, supervised the Muluwurri Museum and was a director for ANKA (Association for Northern, Kimberley and Arnhem artists).