We are excited to announce that Urban Decay will be entering its fourth year of exhibition at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, Virginia.  Urban Decay 4 celebrates low brow and contemporary art and music.  Emerging talents are showcased alongside accomplished artists with a special focus on the Vinyl toy scene.  PONSHOP will be one of the sponsors in this 2-month long exhibit and we look forward to celebrating with you all during the opening event on Saturday, June 8 from 7-11pm.

Urban Decay 4 also has a call for artists for customized vinyl toy submissions.  Entries are due May 25-26, 2013.  Click Here for a complete prospectus.

Gabriel Pons will be one of the many featured artists on exhibit and will take part in a panel discussion with Kenny Wells and Jack Labadie about the influence of Hip-Hop music on contemporary art (Sat. June 8 at 5pm).  The grounds of the Workhouse will also be the site of a day-long mural demonstration by HKS181, Kevin Rodrigue, and Jeremy Gann.

Thanks to Deb Yarrington and her crew at Urban Art Syndicate for curating and coordinating this year’s show.

Urban Decay 4 will include the work of:  Carlos Aguilar, Kevin Bednarz, Kenny Brown, Bryan A. Collins, Matt Corrado, Gregg Deal, ElStabo, James Fuller, Jeremy Gann, Drew Storm Graham, Kevin Gosselin, HKS181, Bill Hewitt, Tim Knouff, Jack Labadie, Justin Lipuma, Kevin Murphy, Sylvia Ortiz, Scott Olive, Michael Owen, Gabriel Pons, RSIN, JC Rivera,, Kevin Rodrigue, David Ten, James Walker and Asad ULTRA Walker.

Performances during the opening reception include: Thrive, Kenny Wells, Expansion Radio and Lightspeed Rescue

Click Here to view the history of  the Urban Decay exhibition series via the PONSHOP Blog.

The  opening reception for the ninth annual “The Art of Recovery” exhibit was held on Friday May 3, 2013.  The exhibit was organized by the staff of the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board and Kenmore Club – a psychosocial organization that provides rehabilitation service for adults with severe and persistent mental illness.  We had a great turnout with over three-hundred visitors throughout the course of the evening.  This annual show provides a forum for artists living with mental illness to gain confidence in their abilities, address misconceptions surrounding mental illness, and experience community support.  Thanks once again to all participating artists and the staff of RACSB for their hard work.  ”The Art of Recovery” is on exhibit through May 26, 2013.

Adult Clay Class (Instructor: Scarlett Pons) Students use a variety of hand building techniques for sculptural or functional pieces.

Children’s Clay Class (Instructor: Scarlett Pons) Kid’s learn a variety of hand-building techniques with clay.

Children’s Drawing Workshop (Instructor: Gabriel Pons) Using pencils, markers, and more, kid’s explore drawing as a way of seeing their world.

Skate to Create (Instructor: Gabriel Pons) Design and Paint your own skateboard deck using stencils and spray paint.

Intro to Street Art (Instructor: Gabriel Pons)  Students create large format graphics using stencils, spray paint, markers and more.

Adult Stencil and Mixed Media (Instructor: Gabriel Pons) learn a variety of media techniques using collage, acrylic and paper stencils.

My Recycled Room (Instructor: Leslie Brier): Students can transform excess junk and clutter into fun works of art to decorate their own space.

Creature Feature (Instructor: Leslie Brier): Applying collage techniques to found objects allows students to create a creature sculpture that expresses their style and creativity.

Steampunk Art Doll (Instructor: Leslie Brier): Use a wooden drawing model and some found objects or hardware to create an artistic steampunk styled figure.

This year’s exhibit includes over fifty works of art contributed by forty-eight artists from around the state.  “The Art of Recovery” features original artwork created by adults with mental illness and ranges in media including painting, drawing, mixed media and more.  This annual art show is organized by members of Kenmore Club, a psychosocial rehabilitation program operated by RACSB.

Founded in 1970, the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board (RACSB) provides public mental health, intellectual disability, substance abuse, and prevention/early intervention services to the residents of the City of Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania, and Stafford.Programs of RACSB include Kenmore Club, Rappahannock Adult Activities, Inc., Project LINK, Program for Teen Parents, Rappahannock Area Kids on the Block, DARE To Be You – Rappahannock Area, Second Step, Too Good for Drugs, and Healthy Families – Rappahannock Area. To learn more, visit www.racsb.state.va.us.

The exhibit coincides with National Mental Health Month and will be on display through May 26, 2013.

PONSHOP Studio and Gallery will be hosting its fourth community art exhibition in June of 2013. We’ve rescued stacks of old Christmas records, wiped the dust off and, with your help, will turn them into something that people actually enjoy– a fun work of art.

Click Here for the Complete Prospectus and Entry Form.

Spinning at 33 1/3 rpm

Here’s how the show works: once you pay an entry fee and we provide you with up to three ready-to-hang vinyl albums (the fee is $12 per record, or $30 for three). You have until June 2 to turn your Jane Fonda Workout album into a work of art, which will be exhibited until June 30. The theme and medium are up to you, but there is one rule: each record is mounted on wood block with hanging wire and must stay mounted in order to be suitable for display on our gallery walls.

Eligibility

This exhibit is open to all artists (professional and emerging) in the Virginia Region.

Submission Requirements

All artists must use the pre-mounted vinyl albums (provided when you pay the entry fee) and all work must be for sale. Submit your best work!  The gallery reserves the right to reject submissions based on quality: uniqueness and creativity, craftsmanship and execution.  Entries must be original creations of the artist – no reproductions of others artwork.  See examples of the pre-mounted albums below:

Entry Specifications

PONSHOP retains 40% of all sales on works exhibited throughout the duration of the exhibit.  Artists will be reimbursed within 30 days of the exhibition closing.  Artists are responsible for acquiring insurance on their own artwork.  Although PONSHOP will take great care in the hanging and display of artwork, the gallery will not be held responsible for items on exhibit.

Entry Procedure

Entry fee: $12 per vinyl album, or $30 for three (up to three submissions).  Artists pay fee and retrieve ready-to-hang vinyl albums from PONSHOP.  Please complete entry form when returning the work.

Delivery: Artists are responsible for transporting their work to and from the gallery. Artwork not retrieved after show closing will incur a storage fee of $10 per day

Calendar

Deadline for Submissions: Saturday, June 1 (10-6pm) Sunday, June 2 (noon-5pm).

Pick Up of Unaccepted Work: Tuesday, June 3 (10-6pm)

Opening Reception: Friday, June 7 (6-10pm)

Exhibition Dates: June 7-30

Pick up of Work: Sunday, July 1 (10-6pm)

If you have any questions regarding this show or would like to be included on the mailing list for notice of future exhibition opportunities, please contact us at event[at]ponshopstudio.com

PONSHOP Studio and Gallery is pleased to announce the April “First Friday” opening reception on April 5, 2013 from 6pm-10pm. The evening will include a DJ set by longtime PONSHOP friend, DJ Climax. The gallery will be featuring the latest works by our artists including Julie Maida, Crystal Rodrigue, Nicholas Candela, co-owner Gabriel Pons, recent photographs by Stephen Graham, ceramics by co-owner Scarlett Pons, and handmade jewelry by newly featured artist Caitlin Emison, who specializes in creating earrings incorporating feathers and stone. The exhibit will also continue to feature artwork from Leslie Brier and Ashleigh Burbidge, featured artists from March’s exhibit.

PONSHOP gallery continues to feature over fourteen jewelers and artists who create fun personal accessories and over twenty other artists creating everything from fine art and ceramics to plush toys, clothing, and accessories for the home. Join PONSHOP, as well as the 16 other local businesses in the downtown area that participate in First Fridays on Friday, April 5 from 6-10pm for a special evening celebrating the creativity of our local community.

Gabe is exhibiting a cross section of his mixed media artwork at the Hill Center Galleries in Washington, DC from March 2 through April 28, 2013.  The opening reception for his show is Wednesday, March 20 from 6-8pm.  For more information, visit the Hill Center website.

Friday, March 1 2013: PONSHOP hosted the opening reception of Stitched, Altered, and Plush. The evening was a great success, featuring quirky creations by local artists Ashleigh Burbidge and Leslie Brier. Check out our photos from the evening below. Stitched, Altered, and Plush runs through March 31.

From the WWF Website:

“Every day, wild elephants, rhinos and tigers are killed for their skins, bones, tusks, horns and other body parts. Wildlife crime is now the most urgent threat to these species—and decades of conservation gains and whole wildlife populations will be lost if we don’t take action today.

Tens of thousands of elephants are killed every year for their ivory tusks.

At least one rhino is killed every day due to the mistaken belief that rhino horn can cure cancer and hangovers.

As few as 3,200 wild tigers remain. Poaching is the greatest immediate threat to their survival.

The illegal wildlife trade is estimated to be worth $7-10 billion annually.  Illicit wildlife trafficking is the fifth largest illegal trade after drugs, counterfeiting, human trafficking and oil.

Join ‘Hands Off My Parts’ to stop wildlife crime along with supporters like Leonardo DiCaprio, Emily VanCamp, Josh Bowman, Stacy Keibler, Alyssa Milano, Ian Somerhalder and Ethan Suplee. Together we can fight for strong laws so that poaching stops and rhinos, elephants and tigers can keep their parts.”

Below are images of the ‘Hands Off My Parts’ t-shirt package.  Gabriel created a full-size painting and additional hand-drawn lettering and line work for the final composite screen-printed graphic.  The WWF team did a great job designing the informational brochure and hangtags.  PONSHOP is honored and proud to be a part of this timely and pertinent initiative.  Take Action Now to join the “Hands Off My Parts” campaign and stop wildlife crime.

Coincidentally, during the time Gabe was working on the project, National Geographic Magazine published an investigative report, “Blood Ivory” in October of 2012.     As a result of the ‘Hands Off My Parts’ initiative, in early March, Thailand prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra pledged to end the ivory trade in Thailand during the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).