April First Friday: Public/Private Opening Reception

For April's First Friday event we are holding an exhibit juried by Kathleen Walsh. The theme of the event is Public/Private where artists explore the relationship between the public and private realms of our lives and how those associations manifest themselves in in our everyday environment.

On Friday, April 1st from 6pm-10pm we will hold the opening reception. At 7pm there will be a presentation of awards (cash prizes) and an informal gallery talk.

Also, at the opening reception there will be a performance by "The Undeniably Adjacent" improv comedy troupe from the University of Mary Washington. From 7:30-9:30 the actors will perform skits in our storefront window. The storefront window will be transformed into a stage only visible from outside the store. The performances will correspond to the theme of Public/Private and will act as a literal "window" into the actors' private lives.

"The Undeniably Adjacent"

Participating actors in the event will be:

Rachael Wonderlin

Kyle Dratwa

Mattson Fields

Annie Blaine

Elsa Lee

Come out on April 1st to see this exciting new exhibit and enjoy a collaboration of art work and live performances.

Opening Reception: First Annual PONSHOP Student Show

February 4, 2011 marked the first annual PONSHOP Student Show. This group show featured students of PONSHOP Classes over the past year. The gallery featured work completed in PONSHOP classes: ceramics, mixed media, street art and skateboard graphics.

We would like to thank our students (and their parents) for their participation. Below are more snapshots from the opening night. The artists with their piece...Good Work Folks!

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.

Call For Artists: Public/Private Juried Exhibit

PONSHOP Studio and Gallery will be hosting its second juried art exhibition in April of 2011. Juried by Kathleen Walsh, “Public/Private” will challenge participating artists to explore the relationship between the public and private realms of our lives and how those associations manifest themselves in our everyday environment. PONSHOP invites artists working in all two-dimensional media to participate in this month-long regional juried exhibition.

Eligibility This exhibit is open to all artists (professional and emerging) in the Virginia Region. “Two dimensional” artwork is inclusive of mediums including but not limited to: painting, drawing, mixed media, photography, digital graphics, textiles, ceramics, screen printing and lithography.

Deadline for Submissions Hand Deliver to PONSHOP Saturday, March 26 (10-6pm) and Sunday, March 27 (noon-5pm)

View the Complete Prospectus Below:

Page 1 of 2 (click the image above and "save as" the image to print)

Page 2 of 2 (click the image above and "save as" the image to print)

Gallery Hanging Requirements (click the image above and "save as" the image to print)

Theme: Our Public and Private Lives

What delineates the public domain from our personal space? Is it the manifestation of a physical threshold such as a wall, door, or curtain? Or can it be something much less tangible or even invisible? This exhibit seeks to examine how cultures around the globe acknowledge publicity and privacy in their environment and how the two worlds can be blurred. One example of this can be found “online”. Today more than ever, our world is getting more connected and we are able to share (or not share) our daily lives through digital social networks, cell phones, and other media. How does this hyper connectivity affect our personal relationships? Where is the boundary between intimacy and the public stage?

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

World Water Day: Saturday March 19, 2011

I'm excited to have contributed to Fredericksburg's first annual World Water Day event coming up this weekend. Our amigos, Friends of the Rappahannock, asked if PONSHOP would pitch in to promote water conservation within local communities. I did up a barrel with spray paint one fine morning and called it "Agua".

Check out Hurkamp Park in Fredericksburg, VA this Saturday, March 19 (9am-noon) to see more artist-painted barrels contributed by community as well as a "build your own rain barrel" workshop, and more.

Click Here for the Friends of the Rappahannock Facebook page.

Fredericksburg's World Water Day is a Family Friendly Free Event.

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.

Keep Celebrating the New Year With Us

January 2011 The shop is refreshed from all the holiday madness (good kinda madness) and we invite you to join us for our "first" First Friday Reception of the new year on Friday, January 7 from 6-10pm. The gallery includes new work from Daniel Christie (ceramics), Adam Desio (photography), Rob Landeck (painting), and Chuck Williams (metalwork). Head on in for a fresh perspective on your next 365 days...

On behalf of Scarlett and I, we are very grateful for all of our family, friends, and PONSHOP fans. We're excited to bring you more creative and innovative work in 2011!

Under the Tree for Under $50 (#3)

It's rare to find a mother and 10 year old son that share the same interest in creating handmade accessories. Fortunately, we have an exception to the rule. Designs by T features bright, colorful and shiny bracelets made from sterling silver, semi-precious stones, turquoise, and glass beads woven with leather or silk bands.

For Her: handmade bracelets from Designs by T (starting at $20)

"Upcycled " means recycling and reusing discarded material and creating a higher quality product - thus mitigating the impact on the environment. Here, young Zakk takes aluminum pull tabs and weaves them into cool bracelets and belts for guys and girls.

Wrap Music: Pull Tab Accessories by Zakk ($12-$20)

PONSHOP is proud to be carrying such unique and creative gifts. These pull tab accessories have been a hit this holiday season and has our artist chugging energy drinks to keep making more.