Call for Artists: Model Kit Marvels Exhibition

Registration Deadline: Wednesday, June 15, 2016 or when submission limit is met.
Registration Fee: $20 (includes 1 model kit) Limited to First 25 Artist Entries & 1 Kit Per Artist
Delivery of Artwork: on/before Sunday, June 26 (noon-5pm)

Opening Reception: Friday, July 1, 2016 (6-10pm)
Exhibition Dates: July 1-31, 2016
Artwork Retrieval: Monday, August 1, 2016

PONSHOP is pleased to announce our seventh community art exhibition in July of 2016, and we invite you to participate as an artist in the event! “Model Kit Marvels” will feature custom-painted model kits supplied by the New York-based company Boundless Brooklyn. Artists can select between the Boundless Brooklyn Half Pipe, Medium Water Tower, or Billboard kit. 

Entry Parameters: Artists can modify their model kit however they see fit, adorning with paint, markers, and incorporating additional materials.  The models, however, must retain the same "footprint" - meaning that no materials shall excessively extend beyond the volume of the model.  Boundless Brooklyn Kits must be purchased through PONSHOP. All artwork must be assembled and dry upon delivery and all work must be for sale (The gallery retains 40% commission on all sales).  The gallery reserves the right to reject entries based upon quality: uniqueness and creativity, craftsmanship and execution.  Late Entries will be rejected. Entries must be original creations of the artist - no reproductions of others artwork.

We encourage all participating artists to join us for the opening reception.  We'll be doing a Do-It-Yourself Model Kit workshop in our classroom and, weather permitting, we'll have our garden open as well for guests.

Feel free to contact us should you have any questions. 

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Boundless Brooklyn is an innovative company established in New York by friends David and Terence. They provide easy-to-assemble model architecture kits that allow you to add your own personal flair. Made out of 100% recycled material, their easy-to-assemble kits pay homage to iconic structures in our urban environment including NYC’s classic water towers, billboards, and skateboard ramps to name a few.  Learn more at www.boundlessbrooklyn.com

PONSHOP is a multifaceted storefront: an art gallery, retail store, and classroom.  The vision of the owners, Scarlett and Gabriel Pons, is to provide a place that embodies what they love: art, design, and creative education.  The gallery features a variety of work from artists both near and far.  Their storefront includes a classroom, providing workshops for students interested in everything from painting, ceramics, and architecture to street art and skateboarding.  PONSHOP has been retailing Boundless Brooklyn products since 2015 and incorporates Boundless kits in their art curriculum, teaching students about the history and architectural importance of these miniature structures.

Point of Entry: The Artwork of Maddie Huddle

Exhibition Dates: October 2-31, 2015
Opening Reception: Friday, October 2 (6-10pm)
 

PONSHOP Studio and Gallery is pleased to announce their October exhibition introducing the artworks of Maddie Huddle.  Featuring a selection of oil paintings, her work transforms the ordinary into the unusual and invites viewers to reevaluate their perceptions of fine art. While named “Point of Entry” because it is her debut into the professional art world, the exhibition also acts as a gateway into the imagination of the artist herself. 

Maddie is a local artist and recent graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Communication Arts department. More of her work can be displayed at www.maddiehuddleart.com. 

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.

Student Work 2013: Kids Collage and Mixed Media

Do not believe the misconception that if you cannot draw, then you are not artistic! In three 1.5 hour classes, students were introduced to various techniques, including collage, stenciling, ink, and more. From developing beginning ideas to executing mixed media artwork, instructor Gabriel Pons, guided students in strengthening the connection between the creative mind and hand. Students completed this course with a finished piece on canvas.

Come join us at the PONSHOP with your ideas and we will supply all materials and instruction. Click Here to view our current class schedule.  For further questions, contact PONSHOP.

Student Work 2013: Leslie Brier Workshops

 

Local mixed media artist Leslie Brier has offered many workshops here at PONSHOP ranging from jewelry making, robot building, and assemblage art. By checking out the photo gallery below, you can see what happened last year including zen tangle drawings and recycled arts. In 2014, Brier has already shared her expertise on collage and assemblage techniques. Coming up in March are her jewelry courses on creating rolled paper beads and earring construction.

Brier's courses are perfect for students of all skill levels interested in a one-hour workshop.  Click Here to view our current class schedule.  For further questions, contact PONSHOP. Cost includes all materials and you leave with your own one-of-a-kind art piece!

Fredericksburg's Second Annual Art Attack Event

Saturday September 14, 2013 marked the second annual “Art Attack” event in Downtown Fredericksburg.  Organized by Gabriel Pons and Bill Harris, "Art Attack" is a grass roots public art event open to any "recruits" that are willing to demonstrate their art for one day on the city streets.  The historic downtown was filled with  approximately eighty local and regional artists creating original artwork for all to see. The public witnessed a wide range of mediums from paintings and sculptures to drawings. Fine artists were not the only ones to come out and showcase their talents. Live performers such as belly dancers and musicians participated in the "Attack" also. At the end of day, all participants were invited to a picnic hosted by PONSHOP in the backyard of their gallery.  For more about Art Attack Fredericksburg, visit their Facebook Page.

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" 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: Architect's Eyes, July 2012

Fredericksburg is a great place for historic precedents in architecture.  In this 3-session class, Gabriel Pons gave a "sketch" tour of the city - exploring the city's most significant (and interesting) structures.  Below are snapshots from the workshop including the student's sketchbook pages.

PONSHOP offers art classes year-round.  For a current class schedule, Click Here.