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.

View the Fall 2014 Class Schedule Here

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.

FAMCC Art Outside the Box Summer Camp

Gabriel Pons of PONSHOP partnered with the Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center for a three-day summer art camp from July 15-17, 2013.  The theme of the camp was "Art Outside the Box".  Students were instructed to draw upon the city's rich history and built environment to create a collaborative mixed media mural to be installed on the William Street facade of the museum.  Throughout the three days, Pons gave the students a background of the history of graffiti and street art and coupled their activities to "interrogate" the cityscape of Fredericksburg.  What is the message of the signage that we view in the streets day to day? How can students express themselves using only text or only imagery?  How can we reinterpret historic themes in a new way? Below is a chronology of the workshop sessions.  Students used wheat paste to collage imagery and maps relating to the city of Fredericksburg on six wooden panels.  They were encouraged to explore writing their names using different styles and methods.  Pons gave students a tutorial on how to design, cut, and spray various stencils and students then collectively painted the six panels using spray paint, acrylic paint and stencils.  The completed panels were installed in the existing window wells of the museum.  Thanks to Janelle Kennedy, interns Caroline Fogg and Dani Payne, and the staff of the Fredericksburg Area Museum for contributing to the success of this workshop.  Special shout outs to our campers for the week.  They're excitement and genuine enthusiasm made the project worth while.  Good Job Students!

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.

"Portal to History" Premiere Event

Friday, February 8th marked the release of the "Portal to History" children's walking map.  The Fredericksburg visitor's center collaborated with PONSHOP studio to facilitate a 6-week long workshop that engaged 8 local scholarship students in documenting some key historic sites in the city's downtown and creating a brochure with their findings.  The premiere brought together all the students and their family as well as participating teachers/organizers to celebrate the completion of the project.  The visitor center's auditorium walls displayed the student's sketchbook pages.  There was also a slideshow of photos taken throughout the workshop.  Julie Perry of the Fredericksburg Visitor Center and Kerry Devine of the City Council gave their congratulations to the students.

PONSHOP would like to thank the following for their contribution to the "Portal to History" project:

Julie Perry (Fredericksburg Visitor Center), The University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts, The Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center, The George Washington Foundation, Washington Heritage Museums.  All participating students and their parents.

The walking map is available at the Fredericksburg Visitor Center as well as PONSHOP.  You can also download it as a PDF.  Click Here for more about the "Portal to History" Project.

"Portal to History" Walking Map Release Event Announced

PONSHOP Studio and the Fredericksburg Visitor Center are pleased to announce the release of their collaborative children’s walking map titled, “A Portal to History.” This walking map is the product of an eight-week series of art workshops and historic tours held by PONSHOP Studio including the work of eight scholarship students. The evening will include an exhibit of the student work, a photo slideshow, and a brief presentation from the students and workshop organizers.

The students visited seven Fredericksburg historic landmarks including: Hugh Mercer Apothecary, Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts, The Fredericksburg Museum and Cultural Center, Mary Washington House, Kenmore Plantation, and the Rising Sun Tavern. Students were responsible for collecting materials (historic information, photographic documentation, and architectural illustrations) pertinent to each site. In the following sessions, PONSHOP instructors Scarlett and Gabriel Pons assisted them in creating a walking map incorporating their findings and illustrations from their visits.

The map provides young tourists with an interactive means of exploring the city’s historic sites and also becomes a self-made souvenir, including a stamp collecting activity for six of the historic landmarks. The map also provides a link with additional information about and pictures from the students’ workshop process.

As a means to give closure to the workshop and share the walking map with the public, students will present the “Portal to History” project at a formal reception on Friday, February 8 from 6-7pm. All are welcome to attend.

On behalf of PONSHOP Studio, we would like to thank the following for their assistance in this project: The City of Fredericksburg, The University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts, The Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center, The George Washington Foundation, and Washington Heritage Museums. We would also like to thank the participating students: Maggie Carmody, Caroline Connors, Jordan DeBoise, Madelyn Descutner, Matt Dinehart, Zoë Kovacs, David Pearcy, and Marielle White.

Student Work: Children's Drawing, June 2012

Starting with simple drawing techniques, these students created works to visually express themselves using pencils, markers and other media.  Instructor Gabriel Pons gave the students exercises in Map-making, Gesture Sketching, and light and shadow study.  In their last session,  students drew complete life sized self-portraits! These children showed incredible patience and ability throughout the workshop.  Congratulations!

For a current PONSHOP Class Schedule, Click Here.