This design above is derived from my 2007 canvas paintings, "My Baby Wants To Rock N Roll." Below is a matrix of all the latest tees available. All shirts are professionally silk screened on American Apparel Tees.
Want some original artwork on a new summer tee? Stop by the PONSHOP and pick one up for $18. Also available at the finest skate shop in Fredericksburg, Fred Skates. (604 Caroline Street, Fred-burg, VA)
May 17, 2008LibertyTown Arts Workshop celebrated its five-year anniversary this past weekend with a Friday Night Gala and a Saturday Open House. We were a bit too busy during Friday's Gala to shoot any photos, but Scarlett managed to snap a few pics during Saturday's event. Thanks to all of you who came out for the anniversary to support Fredericksburg's largest fine art facility.
The Spinners and Weavers Guild set up this big woven spiderweb for the kids.
LibertyTown Founder Dan Finnegan (right) and friends of LibertyTown.
A scavenger hunt was set up for visiting children to explore all of the artists' studios...
Painter Rob Landeck demonstrated his blues-inspired painting techniques.
Bill Harris in his studio: oil painting on canvas. Scarlett demonstrated her ceramic skills that afternoon as well...
Tiffany Yates held down her mother's art studio and demonstrated her clay hand building skills.
There was a Wood Turning Demo in the garden during the afternoon.
Here's a sequence of the mural I initiated that weekend on the LibertyTown facade. Thanks to Hsi Mei Yates for her help in preparing the composition.If interested in supporting LibertyTown Arts Workshop, become a supporting member and get involved: Click Here and select "Membership".
April's Street Art Workshops were an adventure. My students worked very hard to bring their pieces to life over the three two-hour sessions. Below are some pics of of their work. Good job guys! Tristan had a stack of personal sketches to choose from, but he used his favorite drawings to implement his two final pieces (above).Robert worked on a set of his most sophisticated stencil sets to date. The results were quite good (below):Conor's 24"x48" piece was inspired by an Elliot Smith album cover. He generated a set of 3 stencils to pull this off...
Knick took no time getting down to business. By the second session, he turned a robot doodle into a 20" wide stencil design. (above) Step #1 Draw...
April 19th, 2008 was a refreshing morning since it included a sketchbook workshop through The Panta Rhei Project. After a brief presentation of my sketchbook endeavors over the past 15 years, I took several of Fredericksburg's motivated teens around town for some drawing exercises. My instruction encouraged participants to treat the sketchbook as a tool by which they ask questions about their environment. Drawing becomes an interrogative and exploratory exercise rather than a means to a "finished" picture. Below are some samples of the student's work. This workshop was done as a collaboration with The Panta Rhei Project. To learn more about Panta Rhei and view their upcoming calendar of art workshops, Click Here.
It has been two years since the PONSHOP has been online. Since then, we've had a great response from the local and online community. Visitors are able to view my portfolio of paintings, drawings, and video as well as view our current class schedule and upcoming events.
Admittedly, two years is comparable to twenty on the internet and it is time to give the site a renovation with new content and features. I'll be working closely with our friend Susan Frantz at Emergent Design Ideas to bring the site closer to representing the excitement and activity that is currently at the studio and in our city of Fredericksburg.
Spring Break ushered in a new group of students in March eager to draw, cut, and spray paint. Below are some photos of my "Skate to Create" students from last month. They've all worked well together, stretched their creative muscles and, most importantly, had fun. Enjoy...
David merged his two favorite past times: Music and Skating...Josie's design took the classic Skull and Crossbones to whole new level.
Drew used red and black patterns for his "Star" logo deck.
Simon's deck graphic was part inspired by heavy metal music and old school Powell graphics.
Our studio offers classes for children and adults every month. For a current PONSHOP class schedule, click here.
March 5th-30th, 2008. My featured artist show with Carol Iglesias opened at Art First Gallery in Fredericksburg, Virginia last week. "Destinations: Places Traveled, Places Dreamed" features recent paintings that are inspired by places visited and imagined. Below are some of my paintings exhibited in the show as well as a short video of the gallery. To view work by Carol Iglesias, you can visit her new website.
"Upon Arriving at Plaza Libertad", Mixed Media on Wood, 30"x40" $900
"Landscape Triptych #1", Mixed Media on Paper, 37"x28" $1,200
"Leaving La Mancha", Mixed Media on Canvas, 48"x17" $700
"Sage Summons The Spirit For Sight", Mixed Media on Canvas, 24"x24" $800
"Lion Capital", Mixed Media on Canvas, 24"x18" $600 "Metropolis Maze", Mixed Media on Canvas, 24"x24" $600 "The New Hieroglyph", Mixed Media on Canvas, 20"x20" $500 "The Last Pharaoh", Mixed Media on Canvas, 40"x30" $800"Dream Towers" , Mixed Media on Canvas, 72"x40" $2500 "Sunset Bridge", Mixed Media on Canvas, 12"x12" Sold"Scarlett (Black and Gold)", Mixed Media on Canvas, 12"x12" $200
If interested in purchasing (during the month of March), please contact or visit Art First Gallery: 824 Caroline Street, Fredericksburg, Virginia 540-371-7107 Hours: Mon-Sat 10-6pm, Sun 12-5pm
We spent a week in Guatemala this February to celebrate the marriage of Scarlett's sister, Grissell, to her (now husband) Didier. From the minute that we landed in Guatemala City, the vacation began - Didier's family was super accommodating and friendly and they took us to some of the most beautiful places that their country offers. Below are some brief snapshots from our travels. Thanks to the newlywed couple, their family and friends for such a memorable trip.
The Bride and Groom days before the wedding
La Familia: Alegria, Suhy, and Pons families.
Suhy Sisters
Lake Atitlan
"Playa" means Beach - not slang for "Player"....
La Policia - These guys were armed like Robocop
Tuk Tuk - 3 wheeled moto-ride...
Pollo Campero has awesome chicken....
Women in Santiago Atitlan
Diego wants to run where the streets have no name...
Los Ninos Travelers in Antigua need a map at all times...
The Arch in Antigua, GuatemalaThe Main Square in Antigua
Antigua has a lot of Churches - most in ruins, but still very interesting.
This poor guy had to fish out one of Diego's toys that were flung into the fountain - gracias amigo!
No these kids aren't my cousins - Young Rippers in Antigua...viva la tabla!
All dogs in this country were pretty lazy...
Every Sunday during Lent there is a citywide religious procession in Antigua.
Art piece at this super cool sushi restaurant in Antigua - Nokiate
The night before the wedding things got hectic - all the guests had arrived and the party started.
Friday Night Lights - Diego made new friends...
Minutes before the wedding, the ladies took a victory lap around Antigua with Diego. Los muchos machos muchachos
> The above video was shot as Diego got his second wind late in the night. Glow sticks and funny hats were handed out and a Shakira song dropped in sync with a smoke machine - what more could a two-year old want.
The New Year was ushered in with three new "Skate To Create" workshop students. Below are some pics of the student work:
Conor drew his inspiration from the "concrete jungle"- juxtaposing city skyline with a jungle landscape.
Tyler brought his own character "Mohawk Man" to life for his deck graphic.
Don't let her smile fool you - Winnie was all about skulls and flames for her design.
As always, these PONSHOP students worked rigorously throughout the 3 two hour session classes and I can only hope that they are as proud of their work as I am. For more information about PONSHOP classes, click here.
I am excited to announce my upcoming show with fellow Art First member Carol Iglesias. "Destinations: Places Traveled, Places Dreamed" will feature new work which is inspired by sites both visited and imagined.
Carol Iglesias’s paintings are comprised of scenes from various Italian hillside towns throughout Tuscany that she had visited last October. Her travel itinerary included fifteen days of “plein air” (outdoor) painting and sketching in scenic towns like Volterra, San Gimignano, San Casciano, as well as Florence. The locations alone pushed her artistic skill while providing an abundance of inspiration at the same time. The result is a cohesive set of compositions, executed in pastel, which resonate with color, texture, and life.
My work references historic art and architecture yet is executed in a contemporary style.My latest mixed media compositions explore abstract architectural spaces where cityscapes and structures are constructed from scraps of magazines, acrylic paint, stencils and ink.My recent series of paintings experiments with figurative forms and their placement in a surreal and imaginary landscape.
When: March 5th-30th 2008 Opening Party on Friday March 7th 6-9pm Where:Art First Gallery 824 Caroline Street, Fredericksburg, Virginia USA
I'm getting ready for an upcoming show this March at Art First Gallery in downtown Fredericksburg. Fellow member, Carol Iglesias and I will be exhibiting new paintings for the month. The tentative title for the show is "Destinations" and will feature work inspired by places traveled and places dreamed...
Check out the show this March. Opening reception is Friday, March 7th 6-9pm at Art First Gallery 824 Caroline Street, Fredericksburg, VA.
I'm pleased to announce that the piece above, "In The Coliseum", was selected to be shown in the juried 2008 Mid Atlantic New Painting Show. This exhibition will be held at the University of Mary Washington's Ridderhof Gallery from January 24th to March 2nd, 2008. The opening reception is Thursday evening, January 24th from 5-7pm.
Check out some of the progress pics (circa exaclty one year ago) below:
MONO Lion (mini) by Gabriel Pons, spray paint on wood, 16"x10" $75
I just finished a small series of these 16"x10" paintings on plywood. For me, this series was inevitable - I slaved over getting the vector art for the T-shirts done last month, so why not play around with the composition a bit and layer up some color...One of these is on exhibit until January 2nd at Art First Gallery in downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia.
Ever since I did the MONO Lion Skateboard Deck series this summer, people have been asking me if there was ever going to be a t-shirt too. Well the time has finally come. All pre-orders for shirts are now available and shirts are up in our shop and at the best skate shop south of the Mason Dixon Line - Fred Skates. (604 Caroline Street, Fredericksburg). Of course, all shirts are professionally silk screened on American Apparel Tees and come in a variety of sizes for men and women. Shirts are $16 plus tax at the PONSHOP and prices vary elsewhere. To order online, hit me with an email at gpons@ponshopstudio.com. Web orders are $20 per shirt (shipping included). PayPal payments are gladly accepted.
December 14th, 2007. We've recovered from last week's "First Friday" excitement and our studio is now filled to the brim with work. Below are some pics from the studio taken this week as well as some of the new work from Scarlett and I. Visit us at LibertyTown Arts Workshop this month for the Small Works show in the main gallery. I also have paintings on exhibit at Art First Gallery, (824 Caroline Street) this month as part of the Holiday Gala Exhibit.
Scarlett expanded her ceramic fabrications this year to include earrings ($18-$21)These hand-made scarves include ceramic buttons. $32
Back by popular demand, Scarlett has also made dozens of lightweight, elegant snowflake ornaments.$10"New Nefertiti (mini) #2" by Gabriel Pons, spray paint on wood, 16"x10"$75"Judith (Before) #2" by Gabriel Pons, spray paint and collage on canvas, 12"x12"$95"Judith (After) #1" by Gabriel Pons, spray paint and collage on canvas, 12"x12"$95
It's a very tough market in the art world today. To stay ahead of the competition, we've modeled our practice like other American corporations. Why spend all that time, material, and money making stuff that won't put you on easy street? We've decided to outsource our production overseas and across borders where the labor is cheap - in fact, our "intern" literally gets paid peanuts (and cheddar cheese goldfish and juice) to kick out hot designs for our shop.
On the serious tip, now that Diego's two, it has been a joy to see him develop and explore on his own. For those of you that have seen him in our studio, you'll know that from the minute he arrives, it's time to paint.
When I was a teenager, my only fear was that I would stop skating. Bottom line is that it's just too much FUN. Diego trains at the PONSHOP compound....
November 16th, 2007. Scarlett Suhy-Pons paid a visit to the art classes of Fredericksburg Academy where she gave a presentation to fourth and fifth grade students about her experience as a ceramic artist. Her talk focused on her interest in the history of pottery and how the art of making pots transcends geographic and cultural boundaries throughout history. Scarlett seeks her inspiration by studying the forms and methods used around the globe.
Historic precedent: Jamon Pottery circa. 10,000 BC
Native American Bowl, 1979 Students then initiated a clay project where they made their own snowflake designs. October 27th, 2007. Gabriel Pons gave a lecture to students about how his love of skateboarding and art have influenced his career as an artist. He shared with students a selection of his custom painted skateboards as well as his paintings on canvas and spoke about the process he undertakes when developing one of his signature skateboard designs.Skateboarding magazines and deck graphics, album cover artwork, and
comic books fueled his love for drawing and painting.
Fredericksburg Academy Art Instructor Mirinda Reynolds shows students how Pons's compositions are made by layering both found images and paint on canvas.
Students had the opportunity to get creative and develop their own skateboard graphic.
Special thanks to Mirinda Reynolds of Fredericksburg Academy for organizing the monthly "LibertyTown Visiting Artists Program." Her initiative to further integrate local artists with the community benefits both students and the artists. Thanks to all the participating faculty and aides for making these presentations so worthwhile.
Rob and Tristan are PONSHOP veterans and we've been through a lot together at my studio. Below are some pics of their most recent workshop. Instead of doing spray paint on wood boards - they opted for a more "public" and personal canvas. Good Work guys.
Tristan adorns a black tee with paint markers.Robert cuts out his stencil layers. 1) Lay down stencil 2) Mask with paper 3) Hit it with paint Tristan and his "Fat Chick" graphicRobert finishes his "Street Can" Tee
For more about PONSHOP Workshops, click here
October 8th, 2007: Opening Night for the "Present Tense" show that Scarlett, Rob Landeck, and I put together at Bistro Bethem (309 William Street). Thanks go out to all of those who came out to support the local art scene in Fredericksburg, and honestly you couldn't go wrong: with temperatures in the 90s and a Monday holiday, it felt more like a Friday night in July.
DJ Bredren on the wheels of steel spinning the rockers....
Scarlett and I feeling relieved that the show is finally up.
Below is a cross-section of the work that is on display for the "Present Tense" show at Bistro Bethem. The exhibit runs until December 8th, 2007. If interested in purchasing or viewing more, hit us up with an email.
"Rose Window I" by Scarlett Suhy-Pons, Ceramic Wall Hanging with Red Bronze Glaze (sold)
"Wind Bowl" by Scarlett Suhy Pons, Ceramic with Sea Green Glaze $180
"Rose Window II" by Scarlett Suhy-Pons, Ceramic Wall Hanging with Antigua Yellow Glaze (sold)
"Rose Window III" by Scarlett Suhy-Pons, Ceramic Wall Hanging with Satin White Glaze $85 "Ode to the Stratocaster I" by Rob Landeck, Oil and Collage on Canvas 30"x40" $750 "Play It Low" by Rob Landeck, Mixed Media on Canvas, 12"x12" $125 "Devil Drummer" by Rob Landeck, Mixed Media on Canvas, 12"x12" $125 "Jammin' on Julia" by Rob Landeck, Mixed Media on Canvas, 16"x24" $225
MONO Longboard Series by Gabriel Pons, Spray Paint on Plywood $120 each
"Standing Between Sand and Sea" by Gabriel Pons, Mixed Media on Canvas (sold) "The Last Pharaoh" by Gabriel Pons, Mixed Media on Canvas $750
"New Hieroglyph #1" by Gabriel Pons, Mixed Media on Canvas $400
Girl's Fitted Tees: Small, Medium, Large
Boy's Fitted Tees: Xtra Small, Small, Medium, Large, XL, and XXL
Want some original artwork on a new summer tee? Stop by the PONSHOP and pick one up for $18. Also available at the finest skate shop in Fredericksburg, Fred Skates. (604 Caroline Street, Fred-burg, VA)
