- Title: SAVING OUR SONS
- Artist: Larry Poncho Brown
- Size: 22” X 29.75”
- Edition: S/N 850, A/P 100, RE 50
- Medium: Offset Lithography
This image was commissioned by the African American Male Leadership Institute to benefit the Saving Our Sons Initiative - Baltimore, MD 2005
SAVING OUR SONS
"Is not just a painting. It is my promise."
I’ve been mentoring artists in Baltimore and far beyond for four decades—long before many of them even picked up a brush. People often tell me I’m full of wisdom, but the truth is, sharing what I’ve learned is just my way of giving back. You pour into the soil because you believe in what can grow.
People often ask me about the inner circle—the ones I look at like sons. First, there is my own son, artist Mandela Brown, who is carving his own path out west. Then there’s Aaron Maybin—the former NFL linebacker who traded the gridiron for canvas, dedicating his life to education and community activism. Then there’s Wendell Supreme Shannon, whose geometric precision and murals command absolute respect. And then there is Moesus Sanchez—the one I call the prodigal son. He wandered away from the studio into the worlds of digital media and tech, only to return with sharp expertise and modern strategies that now help carry this legacy forward into a brand-new era.
My family doesn't end there. I’ve had the honor of walking alongside a brilliant sister to me in the arts, creator Karen Buster—whose path I’ve watched with immense pride—and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with master craftsmen and brothers like James Murphy, who brings our exhibitions to life.
Saving Our Sons is a 2005 mixed-media work born from that exact village. Five young souls locked in an unbreakable embrace against the city skyline, it shows what true advocacy looks like when you feel for your community deeply.
This is community. This is our art family. This is a legacy that cannot be denied.