Call For Artists: Second Annual PONSHOP Student Show

We are excited to announce our second annual PONSHOP Student Show this February and invite all students who participated in a PONSHOP workshop over the past year of 2011 to contribute to the exhibition. If you would like to exhibit the student work that you've done with teachers Gabriel and Scarlett Pons, simply RSVP back to us and let us know.

If you have alternate or additional artwork you’d like to exhibit, (and it is inspired by a PONSHOP Workshop) please contact us at your earliest convenience and we’ll review the work in person for consideration.

Below are some instructions and a schedule for all participating artists:

Eligibility

All PONSHOP Students from 2011 including all Adult and Youth Ceramics, Mixed Media, Intro to Street Art, Skate to Create, Adult Drawing, and Through an Architect’s Eyes workshops as well as any private or group sessions.  Artwork entries into the exhibit is FREE for all our students.

Schedule

Drop Off Artwork for Exhibit:     Saturday, January 28 (10am-6pm) & Sun (noon-5pm) January 29

Free Workshop for Preparing Artwork:     Saturday, January 28 (1:00-2:30pm)

Exhibition Dates:    Friday, February 3 – Sunday February 26

Opening Reception:    Friday, February 3 (6-10pm)

Pick up of Artwork:     Monday, February 27 (10am-6pm)

Requirements

All two dimensional work is to be equipped with a hanging wire adequate to support the painting when hung on a wall. No gallery clips or saw tooth hangers are to be used (Please see our Guidelines for Art Submissions). If you need help preparing artwork for exhibition, we will be holding an exclusive workshop on Saturday January 28 from 1:00-2:30pm. Gabe can help mount and prepare the 2’x4’ and 2’x2’ “Street Art” panels as well as give students instruction on threading wire for all “Skate to Create” decks. This workshop is free for our students, but any donations to cover the cost of materials is appreciated. Please let us know if you plan on attending. 

We ask that you and your family and friends join us for the “First Friday“ opening reception on Friday, February 3 from 6-10pm.

Work may be priced for sale (or not). PONSHOP retains 40% of all sales and reimburses the artists within 30 days of exhibition closing.

Scarlett and I are truly excited to be offering our gallery as a venue for our students and encourage your participation. Feel free to contact us should you have any questions.

2011: Year in Photos

August 2011: PONSHOP Shareholders relax aboard their 500-foot yacht...

2011 marked the first full (12-month) year for PONSHOP.  On behalf of Scarlett and I, thank you to all of our artists, clients, family, friends and fans.  It's been a fulfilling experience owning a gallery in downtown Fredericksburg and we look forward to making the arts community stronger in 2012.  Here's a cross section of last year's notable events:

February 2011: First Annual PONSHOP Student Show

April 2011: "Public/Private" Juried Exhibit Opening Night with The Undeniably Adjacent improv group

May 2011: Scarlett and Diego at G40 Uncapped Live Show in Washington DC

May 2011: Gabe and Scarlett collaborate on "Ai Wei Wei: 21st Century Revolutionary" installation at G40

May 2011: PONSHOP hosts "The Art of Recovery" exhibit featuring RACSB artists.

June 2011: Intern Katy Wiedemann  joins PONSHOP for the summer.

June 2011: Gabe participates in the Urban Decay II Show at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, VA

August 2011: "Tailor Made" T-Shirt Exhibition

August 2011: Storefront Display for Rappahannock Independent Film Festival contest

September 2011: Scarlett and Gabe collaborate on "Miss You, Love You NYC" installation at Fredericksburg Area Museum.

September 2011: "Miss You, Love NYC" installation commemorates 10-year anniversary of 9-11

September 2011: PONSHOP hosts "City Colors" Juried Exhibit

November 2011: PONSHOP Artist Jasmine Lee demonstrates during the Jewelry Show opening reception

December 2011: gallery intern Adriana Christesen joins us for the fall/spring semester.

PONSHOP Student Work: Intro to Street Art

Below are my "Intro to Street Art" student photos from January through October.  In this series of three 1.5 hour classes, I give students a background in the history of graffiti writing and the current global trend of street art.  Students are then charged to create their own section of a city wall using a variety of media including wheat paste collage, acrylic paint, spray paint, and stencils.  Congratulations to all of our "Intro to Street Art" students.  In fact, I've learned a lot working with all of you.

Commission Work & New Small Works

"Well You say I'm [thirty] something and I shouldn't be slackin', but I'm workin' harder than ever and you can call it mackin'" -Beastie Boys Sure Shot.  My studio desk is stacking up with commissioned paintings as well as new small works for the upcoming month.

November 2011.  Attention all fans of PONSHOP: for those of you who are looking for the perfect gift for that friend or loved one, look no further.  I'm taking on requests for painting commissions for the upcoming three weeks.  If you've always enjoyed one of our designs or would like to provide me with material to collage into a personalized piece, then please contact us and we'll get the ball rolling.

When I Reminisce Over You...Chile 2003

Today marks the eight-year anniversary of our honeymoon trip to Chile.  Even though Scarlett and I were married in June of 2003, we decided to take an extended trek four months later to visit her mother's family in Santiago and Valparaiso.  Our true "honeymoon" included a week-long stay in Easter Island.  For some reason around this time of year I get all nostalgic for our adventure, so this time I figure I'd share some pictures.  Here's to eight years of adventure with you Scarlett, may we continue to have many more. - G

(Click images to advance slideshow)

[portfolio_slideshow]

2011 Fredericksburg Via Colori Event

September 25, 2011 marked the close of the second annual Via Colori Street Painting Festival. This event included over 50 volunteer artists creating large scale chalk paintings on the streets of Downtown Fredericksburg. The Via Colori Festival showcased master street painter Melanie Stimmell and 2011 signature artist Mirinda Reynolds. With the support of local sponsors, volunteers painted 4'x4', 6'x6', or 10'x10' squares. Congratulations to all participating artists, sponsors, and organizers of the event. View some of the work from the final day below.

"Force of Habit" Exhibit Announced

PONSHOP Studio and Gallery will be hosting “Force of Habit” in October featuring new work from J.Coleman, Rob Landeck, and PONSHOP owners Scarlett and Gabriel Pons.

“Force of Habit” presents four artists whose camaraderie grew from the appreciation of each other’s work over the years.  The exhibit highlights each individual artist’s style while recognizing that the creative act is a collective ritual that continues to bond them together as friends and colleagues.

J.Coleman is a Stafford-based painter whose work has been shown throughout the United States and Europe. Coleman’s work renders the human figure monumental on the canvas, painted with a rich color palette and deliberate formalism.

Rob Landeck pulls his inspiration from music and the natural environment. His mixed-media work portrays the inherent harmonies between musicians and their instruments.

Scarlett Pons’s new work explores clay stencils on slab forms. This process allows her to experiment with pattern and imagery influenced by her love of Moroccan architecture. She executes these designs on serving and dinner plates using bold and geometric forms. She has also created a series of ceramic slab bottles adorned with natural patterns and designs.

Gabriel Pons will be exhibiting his latest mixed media paintings, skateboards and custom-painted vinyl records which incorporate layering found text and imagery with hand cut stencil designs.

Please join us for the opening reception Friday, October 7, from 6-10pm.  "Force of Habit" runs through October 30.

2011 G40 2011 - Part 3

httpv://youtu.be/0sA_ed9UYlc Below are more pics from the 2011 G40 Uncapped Live Show organized by Art Whino, Brightest Young Things, and Vitamin Water.  We took the whole family up to the exhibit to take a look.  Thanks to microWave Project for inviting me to participate in this event and big ups to girlsrockdc.org for hosting a great music workshop that afternoon (see above video of Diego on the mic).

Guest Artist Visit: Fredericksburg Academy

April 8, 2011. I paid a visit to the students of Fredericksburg Academy to do a visiting artist workshop with their 4th and 5th graders.  I gave them a brief history lesson on one of my favorite artists, Keith Haring, and gave them a drawing exercise that we did on the campus sidewalks.  Thanks to FA's Art Instructor, Mrs. Mirinda Reynolds, for organizing the Visiting Artists Program.

I spoke to the students about Keith Haring's chalk drawings which proliferated in New York City's Subways in the early 1980s.  Haring's child-like gestural line drawings and use of iconography was the inspiration behind our workshop assignment.

Students were instructed to trace each other's silhouette on the sidewalk - adorning the chalk figures with color, shapes, and lines.

Mary G. Porter Guest Artist Mural

I had the pleasure of being the guest artist at Mary G Porter Traditional School during their "Week of the Arts" event in April, 2011.  Above is a 72"x36" mixed media mural that I used as a demonstration piece throughout the week.  Thanks to Mrs. Wendy Padgett and the faculty and staff of MG Porter for a great teaching experiences.  A special thanks to all the energetic and creative students that I had the pleasure of working with.

The triptych included collage materials from science and nature magazines, handwritten text, and some of PONSHOP's signature stencil designs executed in acrylic paint.

The overall theme of the painting was to celebrate the sciences through the observation on our natural and built environments.

RYS 2011 Painted Violin Project

I  participated in the Rappahannock Youth Symphony Painted Violin Project this past April.  Several local artists were provided with used violins which they can adorn with artwork.  The violins were auctioned off prior to the Spring Concert on May 15 to benefit the RYS.  Contributing artists included: Ruth Ann Loving, Medina Roberts, Milvi Gill, Lori Eggers, and Lisa Cover-Tucci.  Thanks to Megan Belvill, Executive Director of the Rappahannock Youth Symphony for all her efforts in sharing the joy of music with our community.

The theme for my violin contribution came from my experiences living in New York City.  My most memorable experience listening to violin music comes from the New York City Subway.  I recall enjoying a violinist playing on a cold subway platform in January.   The music was beautiful and elegant – a sharp contrast to the rugged and worn subway station.

Thanks to Bill Mason for his generous assistance.  Bill is a profession Luthier (maker of stringed instruments) and helped me by reconstructing the violin once I completed the painting.

Gabriel Pons, The City Consumes Me, Mixed Media on Violin, 2011

Urban Decay 2: Opening Night

Outdoor Demo panel by Gregg Deal

June 4, 2011. It's been a "one-two" punch over the past two months working for these back to back shows (G40 & Urban Decay 2) and Saturday Night's Opening Reception for Urban Decay 2 was just the right thing to celebrate all that hard work. Below are some pics from the show. Thanks to Deb Yarrington of The Workhouse Arts Center for organizing a great exhibit. Urban Decay 2 runs through June 26.

Outdoor Demo Panel by Jorge Guillen

Spaghetti Project had a nice spread of vinyl toys for the collectors

The Osedax kicked the night off...

Scissor List came on second and rocked the crowd

Fredericksburg's own Jeremy Gann

Bellflur wrapped up the night with their performance.

Gregg Deal

These were my demo pieces from the evening: marker spray paint and stencils on 12" vinyl albums.

My most recent work at Urban Decay 2

Herberth Oneeightyone

Sylvia Ortiz rock the house

"Art of Recovery" Opening Reception: May 2011

May 6 2011 was the opening night for the seventh annual "Art of Recovery" Exhibit at PONSHOP. Below are pics from the evening. Scarlett and I would like to thank the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board, The Kenmore Club, and all participating organizations for their hard work. A special thanks to all of the fifty artists that have participated - congratulations. PONSHOP is proud to host such a worthwhile cause and effort for our community.

The exhibit features over sixty pieces of art from fifty adults in the Virginia region. (From the RACSB) : "The Art of Recovery provides a forum for artists living with mental illness to gain confidence in their abilities, challenge mental health stigma, and experience community support."

Tracy Ringquist "For One, Many" textile 36"x48"

"The Art of Recovery" exhibit runs through May 30.

Scarlett with Doris Buffet of the Sunshine Lady Foundation.

The Kenmore Club Murals

G40 2011 - Part 2 "Ai Wei Wei: 21st Century Revolutionary"

"Ai Wei Wei: 21st Century Revolutionary" installation by Gabriel Pons at 2011 G40 show in Washington DC

I'm excited to finally post some photos of the installation I completed for the 2011 G40 show. I was invited by microWave project, a collective of site-specific installation artists. Below is some more info about my piece:

The installation piece, "Ai Weiwei: 21st Century Revolutionary" is intended to inform viewers of the contemporary Chinese artist/activist Ai Weiwei, who has been detained by Chinese Authorities since April 3, 2011. The work brings to question “what is criminal?” considering the fact that Ai has been the target of camera surveillance, physical abuse and the demolition of his artist studio in Shanghai by the hands of Chinese officials. In late April, the website change.org, which has been petitioning for Ai’s release came under a cyber attack from within China. Ai Weiwei’s vehement criticism of the Chinese government has resulted in his detention, which has led many human rights activists around the world to ask “Who’s afraid of Ai Wiewei?

The four panels are mixed media (collage, wheat paste, spray paint/stencil) paintings which comprise an 8-foot by 4-foot composition. I incorporated printed material from websites that published articles on Ai Weiwei's situation. As of today, May 24 2011 - the latest news is the Chinese government is accusing Mr. Ai of tax evasion. Four associates of Ai Weiwei are also reported missing.

The background text is a mix of news reporting on the missing artists as well as some relevant lyrics from Public Enemy's "Hazy Shade of Criminal" and "Public Enemy #1" songs.

Scarlett had contributed to the effort by making over 50 ceramic forms which I hand painted with either chinese characters (like "Justice" and "Civillity") and other text corresponding to Ai's circumstances.

The 2011 G40 Show runs until June 17. It is located at 2213 14th Street NW (corner of 14th & Florida)

G40 2011 Uncapped Live Opening Party - Part 1

Below are some photos from the 2011 G40 Show Opening night Thursday May 19. Thanks again to microWave project, Art Whino, and the folks at Vitamin Water for organizing such a fun event. A big Thank You to all my family and friends for their help. Sorry about the lack of captions folks - I just wanna get these up...

(Above) This got buffed after the Vitamin Water Opening on Thursday Night...

Standing in front of "Ai Weiwei: 21st Century Revolutionary" installation piece.

James Walker

Lisa Schumaier

Pam Rogers

Space and Flow

Thanks to Allison Nance and Mary Cook of microWave project.

Ben Graham-Putter

Herberth and Dan with friends...

Imani K Brown

Aniekan Udofia

Working Harder Than Ever...

May 10, 2011: I'm so excited to be part of the 2011 G40 Art Show in Washington DC. Here are some progress pics of the work. (Big shout out to Jeff who assisted me this week). Opening Party is Friday May 20. Be There! I'm on the third floor...Check the Info Below for more...

PONSHOP Owner Gabriel Pons is excited to announce that he is particpating in the 2011 G40 Art Show in Washington DC this month. He's been invited as part of the art installation group microWave project.

National Harbor's premiere contemporary gallery Art Whino returns in 2011 for the second edition of G40. The G40 uncapped LIVE event is an unprecedented experience in the art world with its scale and caliber of artists from around the world. This year the summit comes to DC next to the U street corridor taking over an entire building and showcasing art on all of its floors.

Where: 2213 14th Street, NW, Washington DC 20009

G40 Exhibit Schedule:

May 20th - June 17th, 2011

Opening Party: Friday May 20th, 6pm

Open Hours:

Tuesday & Thursdays: 5 - 10pm

Fridays & Saturdays: noon - 11pm

Sundays: noon - 6pm

Mondays: Closed

May First Friday: The Art of Recovery

For May's First Friday Opening Reception we will be hosting the Rappahannock Area Community Service Board's (RACSB) Seventh Annual "The Art of Recovery" exhibit. The opening reception is on May 6 from 5pm-9pm, though the exhibit will remain up until May 29.

"The Art of Recovery" is organized by members of the Kenmore Club, a psychosocial rehabilitation program operated by the RASCB. The show will feature original artwork of adults with mental illness. There will be approximately 35 pieces in the show in a variety of mediums including drawings, paintings, sculpture, textiles, and mixed media.

May is National Mental Health Month so come show your support and enjoy the great artwork.

Artwork from "Public/Private"

Here is some of the artwork from the "Public/Private" exhibit that is up on the walls of the PONSHOP until April 30.

Long Night's Work Chris Schumacher Glicee on Canvas $250

Aeri - Creekside #1 Chris Schumacher Glicee on Archiva; Paper $250

Atlantis Schematic Thom White Ink, Wash, & Pencil on Ink Jet Print $150

Behind an Ancient Austrian Door Sandy Leigh Skipper Photograph $100

Designs on You Mirinda Reynolds Mixed Media on Wood $75 (Artist Proceeds go to RCDV)

Mi Barrio Ana Rendich Collage $200

Hope Rob Landeck Mixed Media $75

Self Portrait with Shades Ed King Oil $500

The Homeless Man is Ever Present, but Rarely Seen Sidney Mullis & Jeff Gulick Mixed Media $160

Paperazzi Greg Crawford Papercut $325

Personas Jams Bauguess Acrylic on Canvas $222

Just Makin' Out at Steak and Ale Joshua Barber Mixed Media $515

Come in to see these pieces of work along with others on exhibit now.

April First Friday

On Friday April 1st we held our second juried show with the theme "Public/Private," which was a huge success. The artists captured the theme in their unique works that gave a new perspective to where the line is drawn between our public and private lives.

Juror, Kathleen Walsh, gave an informal gallery talk along with co-owner Gabriel Pons to kick off the night. She had the difficult task of selecting three pieces as Merit Winners ($100 cash) and three pieces for Honorable Mention ($25 gift certificates to the PONSHOP). During this talk the awards were presented to the winners.

Luckily, the whether was beautiful as people navigated between the artwork inside and the live performance that could be seen from outside.

"The Undeniably Adjacent" performers

The performers had a large audience gathered outside

One of the performances

A special thanks to all of the participating artists, Kathleen Walsh, "The Undeniably Adjacent" performers, and all of our patrons for coming out and making this such a fun and exciting event.

"Public/Private" Exhibit: Award Winners Announced

Scarlett and I are genuinely excited to host the opening reception of "Public/Private" this Friday, April 1. We wanted to cordially invite you to the opening since it promises to be a fun event: We'll have a brief gallery talk and presentatin of awards, and at 7:30pm, a local improv troupe "The Undeniably Adjacent" will be privately performing in our public storefront. As a means of kicking off the month-long exhibit, these live performances will be based on the theme of the the "Public/Private" Exhibition – exploring the delineation between the public domain and our private space.

We are pleased to announce the results of the "Public/Private" Juried Exhibit at PONSHOP. We've received 33 submissions from 20 artists. Juror Kathleen Walsh selected 25 works for exhibit.

Below are the award winners:

3 Merit Awards ($100 each) will be presented to:

Joshua Barber, “Just Makin' Out at Steak and Ale”

Steve Jeter, “Sacred Heart #1 and #2”

Ed King, “Self Portrait With Shades”

3 Honorable Mentions ($25 PONSHOP Gift Certificates) will be presented to:

Rob Landeck, “Hope”

Ana Rendich, “Mi Barrio”

Sandy Leigh Skipper, “Behind an Ancient Austrian Door”

Congratulations to all the artists that have participated in this month-long exhibit. "Public/Private" features work from:

Laura Allen, Chris Austin, Jams Baugess, Joshua Barber, Jurgen Brat, Greg Crawford, Jeff Gulick, Barbara Taylor Hall, Steve Jeter, Derek Kirkland, Ed King, Rob Landeck, Sidney Mullis, J. Fred Perrine, Ana Rendich, Mirinda Reynolds, Chris Schumacher, Sandy Leigh Skipper, Reuben Strangelove, and Thom White.