INTRODUCTION | DENNIS L. FORBES

Developing a readily recognizable aesthetic as a practicing visual artist is very crucial to separate yourself from other artists. This aesthetic will create a demand for an artist’s brand and creativity. The learning process to establish a signature style helps to create an organic customer loyalty and commitment to the artist’s brand. The business of art requires that a visual artist create unique and remarkable compositions and themes.

This book through selective documentation of Poncho’s artistic works exposes the fantastically successful art business of Larry Poncho Brown whose art compositions and themes are saturated with vivid colors. During the past forty years, Larry Poncho Brown has been an artist to watch and his works the ones to collect by collectors because of the energy contained in his innovative artistic creations.

Looking at the creative and multi-faceted art offerings of Poncho, I noted that he offers sculptures, ceramics, glassware, limited edition prints, open edition prints, posters, original works on paper and canvas, clothing, greeting cards, masks, and the classic “Poncho.”

Impressively, he has won numerous awards for his creativity in the highly competitive world of art. Poncho, who by the way, loves the excitement that a challenge offers, has immersed himself, since he was a young lad, into creating unique art objects that then as well as now echo a strong universal urban cultural content.

Notably, Poncho’s artistic beginnings were stimulated by his beginning his professional art career as a sign maker painting stylistic letters on billboards and buildings around the city in Baltimore, Maryland. Poncho’s mastery of sign art made it easy for him to transition as a trail blazing visual artist to watch during the emergence of the digital age and become an effective communicator of his artistic aesthetic and skills to followers of his brand through the use of present-day social media communication vehicles.

As a young emerging artist, Poncho forged forward with strong determination to achieve and expand his “BIG” dream to become a professional artist of influence. To make his dream a reality, Poncho focused daily on establishing an end game strategy that reinforced his surging aspiration to become an

Photo by Kirth Bobb

accomplished artist -- even if he had to make daily modification adjustments. He developed a guiding triangle principle consisting of perseverance, enjoyment, and hope.

The compilation of works contained in this book will spark intrigue as you look at the vivid use of color and the compositions of the body of unique work produced by Poncho. Interestingly, the works presented reveal a special continuity of the ebb and flow of Poncho’s life as he consciously dabbled with radical art concepts. The materials, surfaces, and paints and cutting-edge technology that he used resulted in the output of a high volume of works about jazz, dancers, everyday life, and much more.

As a longtime frontline champion in the business of art, Poncho has been arousing the interests of art collectors with impressive art creations. His work embodies iconography and his artistic contributions warrant investigation of inclusion into the sphere of art creativity by a contemporary class of innovative visual artists.

As you react with inquisitiveness to the unique stylized works presented herein, it will become clear to you that Poncho did not waste any of the years of his study of art. As you note his courage to experiment with his ideas, take notice through this documentation of his earnest attempts to develop a creativeness that is now recognizably his style that causes collectors and institutions to have a high demand for his creations. As a result, Poncho has emerged as an influential modern visual arts master.

Poncho, not afraid to be strong and confident, when asked to describe his creative processes, said, “In my eyes, my cre-

ative process is very simplistic. After years of trying to conform to many others’ art philosophy and expectation, I have learned that experience was necessary for me to take a more organic approach. In all of my years of learning the arts, I never heard the word “spirituality” ever being utilized. Over time I realized that the word was crucial to my creative process. It is a very spiritual experience for me and many other artists. Rather than bog myself down with philosophy, I have learned to just get quiet and allow myself to simply “BE” creative. My work vibe is one where I attempt to get out of the way of all philosophical restrictions. I have learned the rules, the regulations, and the ethics. Now I attempt to create an open space for me to empty my brain. Not being concerned about whether things are right or wrong or meet people's expectations, while immersed in whatever projects I am working on. Art is therapy, and for me it is the ultimate brain emptying session. Going into the studio helps me restructure my thoughts and my own philosophies. As a child in art class, we were not bogged down with rules, regulations, or philosophy. We were allowed an empty space to create. I find myself reverting to those early days and desiring that same creative space. It is at that moment that I feel closest to “God.”

Although the details of his creativity might not be obvious, his insight allowed him to integrate his accumulated knowledge of art to sustain a creative flow to bring into existence intended art objects that he worked on. The creation of diverse works of art created in his studio and featured in this book cause excitement, wonder, and a sense of magic for the viewers of Poncho’s artistic expressions.

From the streets of Baltimore to his tragic studio fire of 1995, through adversity and setback, it becomes clear that through the years, Poncho has reinvented himself and his business by performing strategic environmental scans. He consistently uses inventive art ideas and imagery that people of all ages readily connect with, both therapeutically and emotively. Art collector Robin Jackson of Washington, D.C., and owner of artwork by Poncho said, “I was drawn to Poncho Brown’s toe tapping woman in the piece “Natural Rhythm” because it shows her body fully engaged in movement as most of his art reflects. Mr. Brown is also from my hometown of Baltimore and I wanted to support a local artist whose works show a depth of color, rhythm, movement and a reflection of our culture. I later purchased a piece of his wearable art – a poncho. I still chuckle that his name reflects the article of clothing that I wear proudly.” It is critical to pay attention to the colors used, gesturing, movement, layering of materials, compositions, and the inclusion of compelling cultural subject matter that Poncho uses in order to gain insightfulness of Poncho’s versatility as a modern American master artist.

Photo by Kirth Bobb

As you look at the featured works presented herein that Poncho created, note that Poncho harmonized his art education with creativity and became the inventor of the diverse and distinctive artistic style that readily identifies the artwork of Larry “Poncho” Brown.

Poncho leverages cost conflict for his art projects in a meaningful way to bring his ideas to life. Because operating a business can be mystified with uncertainty, Poncho recognizes that human interaction must be genuine and from the heart. In addition, he has learned how to leverage art to fund his pet projects, which offsets cost conflict. He knows that whether seeing a work of art or looking at a work of art -- the difference -- is in the eyes of the viewer.

Now, prepare yourself for a visual treat as you flip the pages again and again of this very special hand-selected compilation of 300 plus diverse works by Larry Poncho Brown that span from the early 1980s to the year 2021. This book provides an enriching broad glimpse of the amazing talent and evolution of a modern 21st century master visual artist.

From this retrospective collection of works by Poncho, be sure to realize and enjoy the ingenuity, wall power, rarity, and innovativeness of works by PONCHO!

Dennis Forbes Sebrof-Forbes Cultural Arts Center