It's great to see the chopper community thriving, and even better when I get to attend shows as a guest and take it all in without the stress of being the organizer.

I was asked to be part of the Occupied Solitude art show, a solid addition to Party at the Pen's East show held at the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio. You might know it better as the place where The Shawshank Redemption was filmed. The venue towers like a castle from the outside, and the inside is stacked with history, with floors of cell blocks filled with secrets forever locked away. Motorcycles filled four rows of the inside. The outside areas were lined with vendors, entertainment, hot rods, and even more motorcycles (of course).

Shawn Long organized the art show portion of the event, and he did a groovin job. It was a great mix of custom paintwork on different types of mediums, fine art, and more in a super cool central spot in the facility. I was honored to take part with my latest series of pop-psychedelic paintings. Check them out in detail here.

I've said it many times in interviews, but I'll say it again. As someone who has seen it from the inside through Glory Daze, running an event like this is no easy task, and it takes an overwhelming amount of effort and risk to pull it off. But when the community comes together, as it did this weekend, it shows how these events are truly fueling the industry. If you're on the west coast, check out Party at the Pen in Boise at the Idaho State Pen on September 12-13, 2026.