Larry Poncho Brown

Larry Brown was born Larry O'Neill Brown, Jr. on December 19, 1962.{{cite web |url=http://events.coppin.edu/artcetra/artists.asp |title=Larry Brown biography}} 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{{cite news |url=http://www.phillytrib.com/news/across_america/the-unique-art-of-larry-poncho-brown-a-baltimore-legend/article_1cdb12c2-6a51-58bf-ac5d-d6bd7cfd52c4.html|title=The unique art of Larry 'Poncho' Brown, a Baltimore legend |author=Stacy M. Brown |date=November 17, 2017|publisher=Philadelphia Tribune}} in 1984, majoring in graphic design and photography.{{cite web |url=https://www.mica.edu/July_Off-Campus_Events_and_Exhibitions.html|title=Salvatore Scarpitta: Traveler|publisher=Maryland Institute College of Art|date=July 1, 2014}}

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, 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. In addition to solo exhibitions, he has also exhibited at group exhibitions, including the Philadelphia Art Exposition{{cite news |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qwUDRnr2e-AC&pg=PA153|page=153|title=13th Philadelphia Art Exposition|date=October 1998|publisher=Ebony Magazine}} and the Chrysler Financial African Festival of the Arts.{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2007/09/02/wow-factor-at-black-arts-festival/|title='Wow' factor at black arts festival: Event offers artists platform to teach and sell their work |date=September 2, 2007|author=Angela Roza|publisher=The Chicago Tribune}} As of 1996 his work was sold in around 1500 galleries within the US.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1996/08/12/to-steve-frizalone-black-art-means-rosy-prospects/ca4a120c-472e-47f3-b6fc-0e115de166ea/|title=TO STEVE FRIZALONE, BLACK ART MEANS ROSY PROSPECTS |author=Jill Hudson |date=August 12, 1996|newspaper=The Washington Post}} 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.{{cite web |url=http://octobergallery.com/2012/03/05/connecting-people-with-art-african-american-art-by-evelyn-redcross-and-mercer-redcross-iii/ |title=Connecting People With Art: African American Art by Evelyn and Mercer Redcross |date=March 5, 2012 |publisher=October}}

His artwork has appeared in Upscale, Ebony, Essence, and Jet magazines. On television, his artwork has also appeared on the series Soul Food, The Wire, A Different World, and In the House. Brown has also produced book cover art;{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QnZ-MPKnj-EC&pg=PR7|page=Cover|title=The Eyes of the Father |author=Lucy Daniels|date=22 April 2005|publisher=iUniverse |isbn=9780595791422}} his work has been used inside of other books as well;{{cite book|page=300|title= Scripture and Its Interpretation: A Global, Ecumenical Introduction to the Bible|author=Michael J. Gorman|publisher=Baker Academic|year=2017}} he has produced visual images for dance productions;{{cite news |url=http://therealnews.com/t2/story:13257:Sankofa-Dance-Theater-Marks-25th-Anniversary|publisher=The Real News |date=February 23, 2015 |title=Sankofa Dance Theater Marks 25th Anniversary}} and his work has been used for festival art for events including the Western Maryland Blues Fest and the Capital Jazz Fest.{{cite news |url=https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/life/blues-fest-artist-has-soul-in-his-strokes/article_7c307d49-d924-5a24-bbfa-3f3d3d1b575d.html|title=Blues Fest artist has soul in his strokes |author=CRYSTAL SCHELLE |date=June 2, 2016|publisher=Herald Mail}} Brown works and creates is art in Baltimore, Maryland.{{cite news |publisher=Richmond Times-Dispatch|title=Art Gallery: Walton Gallery in Petersburg celebrates fifth anniversary with opening of 'Celebration'|date=March 15, 2017 |url=http://www.richmond.com/entertainment/art/art-gallery-walton-gallery-in-petersburg-celebrates-fifth-anniversary-with/article_e842b614-061e-5140-83c1-88be73c6d15d.html}} Brown also curated the Baltimore “MASTERS” Art of the Ancestors, an exhibition that featured the works of deceased Baltimore artists.{{cite web |url=http://www.afro.com/black-history-month-at-the-fredrick-douglass-isaac-myers-maritime-museum/|title=Black History Month at The Fredrick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Museum |publisher=Afro |date=February 9, 2016}}

In 2014 Brown exhibited as a part of the Jamaican Arts Odyssey programme,{{cite news |url=http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20140727/arts/arts2.html|date=July 27, 2014 |title=Artists 'Face' Jamaican Arts Odyssey|publisher=The Jamaican Gleaner}} and created work for an exhibition at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/express/wp/2014/07/17/salvatore-scarpitta-traveler-at-hirshhorn-shows-how-the-artist-took-sprint-car-racing-from-the-track-to-the-gallery/|newspaper=Washington Post|title='Salvatore Scarpitta: Traveler' at Hirshhorn shows how the artist took sprint car racing from the track to the gallery|author=Sadie Dingfelder|date=July 17, 2014}} 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.{{cite news |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-hs-art-mental-health-20150306-story.html|title=Md. woman uses sister's art to break stigma of mental illness|date=March 6, 2015|author=Andrea K. McDaniels |work=The Baltimore Sun}} In 2017, Brown’s work was displayed at Tower Square in Springfield, MA in an exhibition entitled Stronger than Pride as a part of the city’s Black History Month recognition.{{cite news |url=http://wwlp.com/2017/02/24/stronger-than-pride-exhibit-depicts-african-american-experience/|publisher=Fox 22 WWLP |title="Stronger than Pride" exhibit depicts African-American experience - Larry "Poncho" Brown exhibit is on display at Tower Square through March 23|author=Sy Becker|date=February 24, 2017}} He has been critical in the past of the trend of only showing the work of African American artists during the month of February.{{cite news |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2000/02/17/black-artists-look-coolly-at-february-showings-the-token-attention-offered-during-black-history-month-has-led-some-african-americans-to-turn-down-february-opportunities/|work=The Baltimore Sun |title=Black artists look coolly at February Showings|date=February 17, 2000|author=Jill Hudson Neal}}

According to the Philadelphia Tribune, Brown "primarily works in acrylic, although [he] uses 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.{{cite news |url=http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2014/12/04/local-artist-burglarized-fathers-urn-stolen/ |publisher=CBS Baltimore |title=Local Artist Burglarized, Father's Urn Stolen |author=Mike Schuh |date=December 4, 2014}}

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 Hall of Fame. His work has been listed in the collection of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History as a part of its Visions of Our 44th President commissioned exhibition.{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/01/imagining-obama-art-essay-213501|title=Imagining Obama|publisher=Politico|author=ADRIENNE L. CHILDS |date=February 2016}}

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.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/246879090/|date=January 13, 2002|page=B7|work=The Baltimore Sun|title=Obituary: PHILLIP, Diretha V.}} 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 in Baltimore.{{cite book |url= https://thewalters.org/assets/pdf/annual-report/walters-art-museum-annual-report-2006.pdf|page=42|title=Year in Review 2006|publisher=The Walter Art Museum}} 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.{{cite news |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKHIIArUHTQ|publisher=Fox 45: WBFF Baltimore|title=Interview with Larry Brown}}

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Category:1962 births

Category:Living people

Category:Maryland Institute College of Art alumni

Category:20th-century American artists

Category:21st-century American artists