I never follow the norm,” says Adrianne Hawthorne, 33, of Ponnopozz, who was displaying her artwork on a rental truck parked on Damen just north of Lawrence. “I like to show my work in fun environments that are a real experience for the people who attend my shows. A moving truck seemed like a great option because it’s only ever used for one purpose, and that’s never an art show!”
A Google user experience designer by day, Hawthorne decided in February 2018 to refocus on her art to “express her true self” and adopted the label Ponnopozz—a portmanteau of Ponno and Pozzer, the names of two stuffed bears she had as a child—to that end. Her work, like her personal style, is maximalist and colorful: “The more color the better,” she says. It’s an aesthetic reflected in her pairing of a T-shirt dress and leggings by LA’s Nooworks, pink statement glasses and shoes, a floral fanny pack, and earrings by local brand Lee Lee Z Leather.
“Mixing patterns definitely works, and you can never have too much color,” Hawthorne says. “Wear what makes you feel amazing as you walk down the street.” v