In this Summer Workshop, students used stencils and spray paint to adorn their own skateboard deck.
Fall Class Schedule Announced
We've had a great summer with our art workshops here at PONSHOP. This summer alone, we've had over sixty students in our studio doing a variety of activities. Thanks to all of our students and parents for making the past three months so memorable.We're excited to offer up our Fall Class Schedule which includes the following workshops:
Intro to Street Art, Skate to Create, Kids' Drawing, Adult Mixed Media, Adult Clay, Ice Resin Bracelet, Altered Spoon Ornaments, Intro to Plush Making, Intro to Sewing, and PONSHOP Academy - a special six week workshop for children who are serious about exploring a variety of media, from sculpture and clay to painting and mixed media.
Registration is Now Open! Simply call us at the shop (540) 656-2215 to register today.
Register Now for Spring and Summer Classes at PONSHOP
This spring and summer, PONSHOP is offering workshops for children and adults in: Ceramics, Skateboard Graphics, Street Art, Collage and more! We now offer classes in Video and Film Making, Jewelry Design, and Stitching plush toys! New this season is a Clay and Paint Combo Workshop on April 22 and August 18. Get the best of both Art Worlds with PONSHOP owners Scarlett and Gabriel Pons in this exclusive double-header class. If you've already taken a series of classes with us and want to continue your project, simply take an additional class and pay per session.Our Summer Camp Format of consecutive daily classes begins June 24 with Skate to Create. Below are examples from our student workshops.
Children learn the basics of hand-building techniques in Children's Clay taught by PONSHOP owner, Scarlett Pons ($75 for three 1-hour sessions)
Creature Feature, taught by Leslie Brier, incorporates collage techniques and found objects create a creature sculpture that expresses their style.
Skate to Create is one of the most popular classes and with good reason - where else can you custom paint your own skateboard deck? ($100 for three 1.5-hour sessions)
Make your own "Snuggle Monster" with Ashleigh Burbidge this spring and summer. Students learn basic needle threading and stitching to make their own cute creature ($30 for one 1.5 hour session).
You don't have to have any experience for our Adult Stencil and Mixed Media Class. Students learn collage and stencil techniques in casual evening sessions ($90 for three 1.5 hour classes)
You can view more photos from our past Summer Class Sessions Here.
Click Here for our full schedule and Registration Form.
Student Work 2013: Skate to Create
In this series of three 1.5 hour workshops, students of all skill levels designed and painted their own skateboard deck using stencil and spray paint techniques. Instructor Gabriel Pons guided them from initial brainstorming through developing their illustrations into a layered stencil design. After refining their designs, students chose their color palette, cut their stencils, and spray-painted their own boards. Below is a selection of photos from 2013's Skate to Create workshops.
You leave this class, Skate to Create, with a one-of-a-kind art deck of your own design and the knowledge to make many more! To create a custom skateboard, bring your ideas and PONSHOP will supply all materials and stenciling/spray painting instruction. Click Here to view our current class schedule. For further questions, contact the PONSHOP.
2013 Summer Classes Announced
We are excited to announce our 2013 summer class schedule. Between three artists (Gabriel Pons, Scarlett Pons, and Leslie Brier) teaching in a wide variety of media, we offer so much more than a conventional art class. In a series of three 1-1.5 hour long sessions we expand outside of “traditional” artwork, focusing on working with a wide range of media from clay to spray paint to recycled everyday objects. Students can explore their creativity while creating a unique work of art and getting to know other students who share their interests. Each series of classes is priced at $100 or less and includes the materials students will need. View our current class schedule Here. Below is a sample of some classes offered:
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.
Student Work: Skate to Create, July 2012
July ushered in another "Skate to Create" workshop as part of our Summer Art Camp series. Students designed and painted their own skateboard deck using spray paint and stencils. Congratulations to our students who worked hard and managed to pull off great designs during a 100-degree heatwave. Below are progress pics from the studio as well as the finished boards.
March 2012 Student Work: Skate to Create and Adult Mixed Media
Check out the work of our "Skate to Create" and "Adult Mixed Media" students from March. Both classes use the art of stencil making and various spray painting techniques to construct a finalized piece in just three 1.5-hour sessions.
We still have room in our May workshops. Click here to view our current class schedule and sign-up today!
PONSHOP Student Work: Skate to Create
Below are pictures of my "Skate to Create" students over the past year (January-October 2011). The "Skate to Create" class has been really popular over the years. I mean, when do get a chance to paint a brand new skateboard deck and then ride it? In a series of three 1.5 hour classes, I take the students through a brief history of skateboarding and skateboard graphics and then help them develop designs that can then be achieved using spray paint and stencils.
Street Art/Skate to Create: December 2010
Wrapping up 2010's art workshop series was a great duo of kids with a lot of heart and plenty of enthusiasm for creative work. Rama and Sam did up some stencil designs on a vinyl record and skateboard deck, respectively. They started with idea sketches and then developed full scale stencil patterns for spray painting. Check the images below. Nice work boys!
It took some time getting used the shape of a 12-inch vinyl record as a canvas, but soon enough, Rama (photographed in motion) had a direction.
Sam did several variations of his animated character before cutting the stencils.
"Meatwad get the money see.." 3-Layer stencil action on vinyl record for America's most wanted...
Sam used a 2-layer stencil and plenty of color to render this cartoon character on his skate deck.
PONSHOP offers classes in Ceramics, Mixed Media, Street Art, Architecture, and Skateboard Design for children as well as adults. Our classes are available each and every month of the year. For a current schedule, Click Here.
Autumn: Skate To Create/Street Art Workshops
"Stencil" is derived from the French word estencler which means to decorate or adorn with bright colors. It is very much apparent when looking at today's pop media and trends that the stencil has reached its critical mass in terms of popularity and accessibility. For instance, Comedy Central's graphics and logos emulate the street-born and hastily sprayed text that one would find on any lamp post, mailbox, or bare wall on the Bowery or Mott Street. T-shirt and skateboard graphics also include the classic "drips" and "spots" that are found in graffiti tags and murals.
The fact that stencil art and graffiti has attained mainstream appeal doesn't really shake my stance on the craft. In fact, just like any other medium, I'll keep on pushing it until the work becomes something other than just a stencil. And for those of you who think it's as easy as cutting and spraying - give it a shot and you'll find that there are many variables when it comes to creating a great graphic.
Having said all that, below are some pics of student work from our Autumn Workshops. Once again, I was really impressed with how much these kids applied themselves to their projects as well as the collective support and constructive encouragement they gave to one another.
Allison put together a 3-stencil graphic from her freehand drawing of the Beatles "Yellow Submarine"
CJ took his Calvin and Hobbes sketch and transposed it into a 2-layer stencil graphic.
Bryce enlarged his "robo-bunny" face and applied pattern and background colors.Street Art Workshop (October 2006)
I worked with Robert previously in a "Skate to Create" class this past summer. Once he saw the challenge that comes with creating a "freehand" spray paint mural - he was ready to take it on. I showed him my library of graffiti literature, including "The Art Of Getting Over" by Stephen Powers as well as "Style:Writing From the Underground" (Stampa Alternative in association with IGTimes).
Rob's drawing skills are well-grounded, but he wanted to emulate the "Wild Style" Graff designs of the late seventies. We worked on his lettering and composition in the sketches all the while knowing that he'll have to pull this off on a 24"x48" piece of masonite.
I commend Rob on his ability to improvise as well as pay close attention to detail when it came to spray painting. I walked Rob through the process of outlines and fills, and let him go to work:
"COD" sketch on paper (week one)
The finished piece - It poured down rain while Rob attacked his board with spray paint...
Detail