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Using coffee as a canvas: N.B.-born. barista creates frothy famous faces

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When actor Tilda Swinton swooned over a latte and scurried to get her camera, you knew there had to be something special in that cup – it was an image of Swinton herself.

The recent coffee creation was made by Brian Leonard, a Toronto-based barista who’s originally from Moncton, N.B.

Some know him as Barista Bryan -- a latte artist to the stars.

From Lilly Tomlin and Josh Brolin to Olivia Coleman and Seth Rogan, he’s leaving many speechless with his latte art.

“Meryl Streep called me a genius and it will be on my tombstone,” said Leonard.

About a decade ago, Leonard landed a restaurant gig, where his love of lattes began.

“I had to learn how to make coffee etc. and I just thought lattes were so cool,” said Leonard in a previous interview with CTV News in April. “I just started to draw on them, and draw my friends’ faces and it’s a rabbit hole I just kept going down.”

He uses a bamboo stir stick to apply food colouring to the foam. He can crank out latte art in two to four minutes, though many of his subjects, like “Euphoria” actor Sydney Sweeney, don’t want to drink the artwork.

“I can’t ruin this,” she said as Leonard handed her a cup of his latest work.

On the other hand, Swinton used a straw to sip the sweet concoction.

“And it’s delicious,” Swinton said, sucking up her image.

Bryan’s dream of being paid to perform Latte art at film festivals and events is coming true. He’s even made the “Foam-a-Lisa” – a delectable duplicate of the Leonardo De Vinci painting.

For his fans, he has only admiration: “Thanks a-latte,” Leonard said.

With files from CNN’s Jeanne Moos.

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