Larry "Poncho" Brown (born December 19, 1962) is an American artist, who began as a sign painter professionally, and has worked in both painting and sculpture. He has also worked as a curator. His work has been shown in exhibitions, television series, and multi-disciplinary art pieces.
Early life
Larry Brown was born Larry O'Neill Brown, Jr.
on December 19, 1962. He received the nickname "Poncho" as a child because he was a fan of the television series ''
Cisco Kid''. He earned a BFA from the
Maryland Institute College of Art
The Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) is a Private university, private art school, art and design college in Baltimore, Maryland. It was founded in 1826 as the Maryland Institute for the Promotion of the Mechanic Arts, making it one of t ...
in 1984, majoring in graphic design and photography.
Career
Brown started his career as a sign painter, and opened a sign painting business at the age of seventeen. He describes his first major career step was working with
Dick Gregory
Richard Claxton Gregory (October 12, 1932 – August 19, 2017) was an American comedian, civil rights leader, business owner and entrepreneur, and vegetarian activist. His writings were best sellers. Gregory became popular among the Afric ...
, who had Brown create illustrations for the advertising of Gregory’s Bahamian diet. As a painter, one of his first major exhibitions was at the
Jacob Javits Center
The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, commonly known as the Javits Center, is a large convention center on Eleventh Avenue between 34th Street and 38th Street in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, New York City. It was designed by architect James I ...
.
In addition to solo exhibitions, he has also exhibited at group exhibitions, including the Philadelphia Art Exposition and the Chrysler Financial African Festival of the Arts. As of 1996 his work was sold in around 1500 galleries within the US. In 1999 his work was featured in the books ''Wrapped in Pride''
and Evelyn and Mercer Redcross's ''Connecting People with Art: Contemporary African American Art''.
His artwork has appeared in ''Upscale'', ''
Ebony
Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood, coming from several species in the genus '' Diospyros'', which also contains the persimmons. Unlike most woods, ebony is dense enough to sink in water. It is finely textured and has a mirror finish when ...
'', ''
Essence
Essence ( la, essentia) is a polysemic term, used in philosophy and theology as a designation for the property or set of properties that make an entity or substance what it fundamentally is, and which it has by necessity, and without which it ...
'', and ''
Jet'' magazines. On television, his artwork has also appeared on the series ''
Soul Food
Soul food is an ethnic cuisine traditionally prepared and eaten by African Americans, originating in the Southern United States.Soul Food originated with the foods that were given to enslaved Black people by their white owners on Souther ...
'', ''
The Wire
''The Wire'' is an American crime drama television series created and primarily written by author and former police reporter David Simon. The series was broadcast by the cable network HBO in the United States. ''The Wire'' premiered on June 2 ...
'', ''
A Different World
''A Different World'' is an American sitcom (and a spin-off of '' The Cosby Show'') television series that aired for six seasons on NBC from September 24, 1987 to July 9, 1993. The series originally centered on Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet) a ...
'', and ''
In the House''.
Brown has also produced book cover art; his work has been used inside of other books as well; he has produced visual images for dance productions; and his work has been used for festival art for events including the Western Maryland Blues Fest and the Capital Jazz Fest.
Brown works and creates is art in Baltimore, Maryland. Brown also curated the Baltimore ''“MASTERS” Art of the Ancestors'', an exhibition that featured the works of deceased Baltimore artists.
Recent work
In 2014 Brown exhibited as a part of the Jamaican Arts Odyssey programme, and created work for an exhibition at the
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is an art museum beside the National Mall, in Washington, D.C., the United States. The museum was initially endowed during the 1960s with the permanent art collection of Joseph H. Hirshhorn. It was desig ...
. In 2015 Brown worked on the cataloguing of the art left by the late artist Carolyn Anne Watts, whose lifelong collection of paintings was not discovered until after her suicide, as a part of his recognition of the role of art in mental illness. In 2017, Brown’s work was displayed at Tower Square in
Springfield, MA
Springfield is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, and the seat of Hampden County. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ...
in an exhibition entitled ''Stronger than Pride'' as a part of the city’s
Black History Month
Black History Month is an annual observance originating in the United States, where it is also known as African-American History Month. It has received official recognition from governments in the United States and Canada, and more recently ...
recognition. He has been critical in the past of the trend of only showing the work of African American artists during the month of February.
Style
According to the ''
Philadelphia Tribune
''The Philadelphia Tribune'' is the oldest continuously published African-American newspaper in the United States.
The paper began in 1884 when Christopher J. Perry published its first copy. Throughout its history, ''The Philadelphia Tribune' ...
'', Brown "primarily works in acrylic, although
euses a variety of mediums and styles to express his interests in Afrocentric themes, Ancient Egyptology and dance — it’s a style that combines past and present art to create a sense of realism, mysticism, and beauty."
In addition to his paintings and illustrations, Brown has also worked in the field of sculpture.
Brown has stated that he endeavors to depict African American people in a positive manner.
Recognition
Brown was the recipient of the Artist of the Year award from the African-American Visual Art Association in 2000. In 2008 he received a Black Music & Art Award. He is also the youngest inductee into the
Carver Vocational-Technical High School
Carver Vocational-Technical High School – fully George Washington Carver Vocational-Technical High School – also known as Carver Vo-Tech, is a public vocational-technical high school located in the western part of Baltimore, Maryland, United ...
Hall of Fame.
His work has been listed in the collection of the
Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, or The Wright, is located in Detroit, Michigan in the U.S.; inside the city's Midtown Cultural Center is one of the world's oldest independent African American museums.
Founded in 1965 ...
as a part of its ''Visions of Our 44th President'' commissioned exhibition.
Personal life
His parents were Diretha V. Hall Brown, a dietary aide, and Larry O'Neill Brown, Sr, a school teacher and coach. He was middle child of three. Brown is the founder of the non-profit Raising the Arts, which supports nonprofit and African-American organizations.
He has also served on the Steering Committee of the
Walters Art Museum
The Walters Art Museum, located in Mount Vernon-Belvedere, Baltimore, Maryland, United States, is a public art museum founded and opened in 1934. It holds collections established during the mid-19th century. The museum's collection was amassed ...
in Baltimore.
On November 10, 1995 the artist’s studio was engulfed in an 11 alarm fire that destroyed the Hollins Street Exchange in southwest Baltimore. Brown was reported to have lost $1.5 million in original works, reproductions, and all personal art predating the tragedy.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Larry Poncho
1962 births
Living people
Maryland Institute College of Art alumni
20th-century American artists
21st-century American artists