Intro to Street Art Workshop: July 2009

July's "Intro to Street Art" workshop boasted some of the hardest working students to date. Not only did they bring fresh new ideas to the table, they also worked overtime on their pieces to take them to the next level. Nice work students!

Trey did a contemporary take on the traditional silhouette figures using collage and stencils.

He paints up the background during the final session...

Detail (click image to enlarge)

Mira created a cool "Twilight Zone" style cat using spray paint and stencils.She sprays on the final layer of black onto the stencil (above).Detail (click image to enlarge)

Josh came to the first class full of ideas, enthusiasm, and a whole kit of tools at the ready. His piece (above) was executed with wheat paste collage, acrylic, and spray paint with stencils.

Josh's sketches and notes (above) kept his work on point and on schedule...Detail (click image to enlarge)

For a current PONSHOP Class Schedule, Click Here

Lorton,VA: Workhouse Arts Center

Scarlett and I took a Sunday afternoon to visit the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, Virginia. The Workhouse is a campus-format complex that features artist studios, performance and exhibit space. The center opened around one year ago and is quite impressive even at phase one of its development. Some of our friends and colleagues have studios there: Carol Iglesias, Hsi-Mei Yates, and Sean Donlon to name a few. Below are some snapshots from our visit...

One of the corridors of the visual arts buildings...

Small Works on exhibit in building 5

Each studio building has a gallery at the front - these pics (above and below) were snapped from the ceramic studio.
Diego enjoyed the breadth of the place - plenty of space to run...

To learn more about the Workhouse and the mission of the Lorton Foundation for the Arts, click here.

"Mortal Plush" Opening Reception

July 11, 2009: Opening Night at Art Whino's "Mortal Plush: I Am Not Your Toy" show was a lot of fun. Scarlett and I had a chance to meet some of the other participating artists and enjoy an evening out on the town.

Scarlett in front of the gallery early in the evening. Art Whino is located in the National Harbor, Maryland - a few exits north on the local I- 95 after Alexandria, Virginia.

The artist gives a bubble pose with her worm figure tittled "You Used To Love Me" (click images to enlarge)

We met Elizabeth Doherty (Illinois) who made these well-crafted crocheted animals (above and below).

We also met Anne Kirn (Illinois) whose work is above.

Heather Gargon exhibited these fantastic animals (above and below)

Helicopters and Vultures gave a performance during the evening as well....

One of my favorite pieces from the evening came from Jellyface.

The "Mortal Plush" show runs until August 7 - check it out! Art Whino: 173 Waterfront St., National Harbor, Maryland

"Mixing the Media": June 2009

June 2009: Grace participated in the "Mixing The Media" workshop and, within 3 sessions, created some great mixed media pieces. In this class, students are encouraged to create a "landscape" of imagery with found images and text. The student then interacts with the collage using painting and drawing. Below are some images from the final class. Good Job Grace! (click images to enlarge)

Grace used magazine clippings, acrylic paint, and stencils to construct her piece.

She also did a stencil piece on wood with her favorite song lyrics written in the background.

Her Stencil was derived from a series of drawing exercises we did during the first class.

Click Here for a complete PONSHOP class schedule.

"Mortal Plush: I Am Not Your Toy" Exhibit

We're pleased to announce that Scarlett will be participating in the "Mortal Plush: I Am Not Your Toy" show at Art Whino this month. "Mortal Plush..." will include original handmade soft-sculpture works submitted by artists worldwide, each attempting to convey the variety of emotions experienced by their human creators. Below is Scarlett's submission, "You Used To Love Me".

The opening reception is Saturday, July 11 from 6-Midnight. Show runs through August 7. Art Whino Gallery, 173 Waterfront St., National Harbor, MD 20745. For more about this show, click here.

"You Used To Love Me", Scarlett Suhy-Pons, handmade plush figure, approx. 2" diam x 17" length.

Scarlett's inspiration for this piece stems from her perspective on our environment and how our industrialized civilization continues to poison the earth with its refuse. Her worm figure is derived from a sketch that she's been drawing in her sketchbooks and on various public objects since 1999.

Fred Skates Video III: Sticky Icky

StickyIckyness from Fred Slybone on Vimeo.

Ohh yes - the video is out and at Fred Skates (604 Caroline Street, Fredericksburg, VA)
Diego and I went to the Friday Premiere at the Central Rappahannock Regional Library, good times... (more images from that weekend to come...)

The Lost City #1 - Behind the Scenes

"The Lost City #1" (detail), Mixed Media on Wood, 12"x36" $800.

July, 2009: As a follow up to the "Pagoda" Skateboard Decks I initiated in June, above is a detail of my most recent painting, "The Lost City #1". As many of my friends and colleagues already know, my background in architectural drafting and model making was how I got into making stencils in the first place. By the same token, my architecture education made me pretty obsessive when it comes down to doing this stuff (painting, drawing,etc.). Below is the completed painting (left) with a composite drawing of my stencil layers (right). Click images to enlarge.
One thing I really enjoy about turning my sketches into a mixed media painting is that I can use all of my arsenal (collage, acrylic paint, spray paint) to achieve the desired image. In a lot ways, the mixed media painting has informed me on how I can approach the stenciled deck series differently.

"The Lost City #1" will be on display at Art First Gallery for the month of July - check it!

Private Student Sessions: Mixed Media

I had the pleasure of working with David again - this time for a mixed media workshop. His patience and attention to detail allowed him to layer up this composition on canvas. Check the progress and final pics below. Congratulations David!

David "built up" his painting into a landscape, with a clear delineation between land and sky. He used magazine cut outs to show buildings and figures in space. Acrylic paint and spray paint with stencils were used as well.

Final Painting (click to enlarge)

Family Portrait with the artist...

Click Here for a complete PONSHOP class schedule.

Skate to Create: June 2009

June, 2009. the summer kicked of well with my "Skate to Create" students bringing all their excitement and enthusiasm towards designing and painting their own skateboards. Below are more pics of their work. Nice job girls! now get riding! (click images to enlarge).

Amanda used two stencils for her lettering treatment.

The students took an opportunity during their final session to practice their stencil painting on their griptape.

Sarah's design was inspired by the beach, air balloons, and of course, a love for cats...

For a current PONSHOP Class Schedule, click here.

MONO Pagoda Decks: Summer 2009

I'm cooking up new decks for this summer's skate sessions. The MONO Pagoda decks come in 7.5", 7.75" and 8.0" widths. Each deck is individually sprayed, signed and numbered and comes with griptape. Want one? hit me back with an email and $55 plus shipping or get on down to Fred Skates (604 Caroline Street, Fredericksburg, Virginia). Of course, decks will soon be at the PONSHOP (916 LibertyStreet, Fredericksburg,Virginia) too...

"FRESH" Workshop: May 28, 2009

May 28, 2009: I gave a Street Art Workshop at the Torpedo Factory to wrap up the month's "FRESH" exhibition at the Target Gallery. Below is an account of how the afternoon's project went. After the workshop, I participated in a round table discussion with Cory Stowers of Words Beats & Life and fellow artist Marissa Botelho about contemporary graffiti.

9 Door panels were donated to the target gallery for the project - one side included this "Exploit" graffiti piece.The other side of the doors were tagged up - this was to be our canvas...

Moments before the workshop began: Max and Jeff help keep things running smoothly...

The content of our collage was based on the life and legacy of civil rights hero Charles Houston - represented here in a 30"x40" cardboard stencil.

Students layered the existing panels using collage images and text and applying them with wheat paste.

As the panels filled with imagery, other students cut stencils.

6 Panels were taken outdoors to be hit up with spray paint and stencils.

I gave a brief demonstration on techniques and safety tips for using spray paint.

Students then took turns applying spray paint to their stencil designs.

After the panel discussion, participants were encouraged to tag the walls outside of the gallery.

The completed mural on display (click image to enlarge).

Some details (click image to enlarge).

Special thanks to the staff at the Target Gallery and Torpedo Factory. Thanks especially to the participating students for their enthusiasm and hard work. Scarlett and I also want to thank our PONSHOP crew - Jeff Gulick and Max Harvey for their help in assisting us that day.

Intro to Street Art: May 2009

Holly brought a lot to the table for her Intro to Street Art class: she loved to draw and doodle, had a good sense of humor, and was willing to try new things - specifically cutting stencils and using spray paint. Below are some snapshots from her classes. Good Job!

After doing some thumbnail sketches on paper, we took it to spraypaint and mocked up the background.

Holly made a large 48"x24" stencil of her name and applied it to the board.

She had the luxury of being able to paint her piece twice: the second time around she hit it with markers and sprayed the stencil again with highlights and shadows.

(Finger Painted)

"FRESH" Exhibition and Upcoming Mural Event

The "FRESH" opening night was fun - we saw some great art at the Target Gallery and had a chance to catch up with old friends and meet some new ones. Below are some more snapshots from that night. I'm excited to announce that I'll be facilitating a mural workshop at the Torpedo Factory on Thursday, May 28. The schedule is as follows:

4-7pm: Gabriel Pons will give a workshop to participating high school students using Street Art techniques including paste-up collage and stencil. Students will use the inspiration of historic civil rights activist, Charles Houston, in this collective effort.

7-7:30pm: Panel Discussion - "The Art of the Tag" including panelists Marissa Botelho and Gabriel Pons.

7:30-7:45pm: Question and Answer session, refreshments to follow. Also, rumor has it that there will be some b-boy breakdancing going on that evening - let's hope it comes through.

"FRESH" runs through May 31st - check it out... For more information about this even, visit the Target Gallery at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, Virgina.

The Torpedo Factory has several galleries and lots o' art studios...

Scarlett and I made some new friends that evening...

The Sons of BatmanCool formed glass skateboards - "Money Stack", Scott Darlington

My favorites: "AK47", Tara Dumm; "Lead Ballons", Andrew Turner

PONSHOP Summer Tees: MONO Octopus

The latest PONSHOP tees are for sale in the studio and at Fred Skates. The MONO Octo design is derived from the skateboard and canvas paintings that I did and we've finally brought them to the t-shirt! All shirts are professionally screened on American Apparel Tees. Check 'em out...

Girl's Octo Tees: Small, Medium, Large

Boy's Octo Tees: Extra Small, Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large

Get original artwork on a new summer t-shirt. Visit PONSHOP (916 Liberty Street) and pick one up for $20. Also avaible at Virginia's finest skateshop: Fred Skates (604 Caroline Street).

Want to buy them online? Hit me up with an email with quantity, style, and size and I'll mail them out to you. (Payment thru Paypal).

Intro to Street Art: April 2009

Painting, Spray Painting, Drawing and Cutting - when my students have an idea, I help them use anything it takes to achieve their vision. David's private workshop was no exception. In his series of classes, he had an opportunity to learn some of the fundamentals of making a mixed media piece. Nice Job David! See below for the progress pics....

Students are provided a 48"x24" masonite board that they then prime and begin painting.David used a variety of spray paints to give his background more depth and interest.He used an enlarged copy of his robot sketch for the foreground figure.

For a Current Schedule of all PONSHOP classes, Click Here.

Skate to Create: March 2009

Spring has sprung for the "Skate to Create" workshops at PONSHOP Studio. Every month we offer up all the materials, tools, and know-how for kids (and adults) to make their very own skateboard graphic. My most recent student took some of his notebook sketches and created a skateboard with his signature style.

For a current schedule of all PONSHOP classes (May-August), Click Here.

Practice makes perfect: Finn draws and cuts a test stencil to experiment with his colors before applying them on the deck. (click image to enlarge)

The finished product: His "PTB" lettering took 3 stencils and a background to complete - good job Finn!

Coming Soon: MONO Octopus Tees

May 2009: We'll be dropping the new PONSHOP Summer T-shirts in early May! MONO Octo (Duo) tees for Boys and Girls will be available at the studio and your favorite local skateshop - Fred Skates. Stay Tuned...

Friends of LibertyTown: May 2009

"...Until the End of the World #2", Mixed Media on Wood, 16"x16"

Gabriel Pons and fellow LibertyTown Artists are participating in a group show to benefit LibertyTown Arts Workshop for the month of May. Below is the Announcement from LibertyTown, celebrating its sixth year this month. Pitch in and support your local art scene and walk home with a masterpiece!

The painting I've contributed (above) is the twin of one of my collage pieces I completed earlier this year. "...Until the End of the World #2" is created from old maps, newspapers from around the world and of course a series of stencil patterns I've meticulously been drawing/cutting over the past months (see also the t-shirt design available).

LibertyTown Patron's Show Announcement, May 2009

May 1- May 29
“LibertyTown Patrons’ Show:A Show To Benefit LibertyTown"
Recent work donated by LibertyTown, Local and Regional Artists

With the purchase of a ticket ($100) you will be able to select and go home with an artwork* (value ranges from $150 upwards) that is in the Patrons’ Show. Artwork includes 2-D and 3-D work donated by LibertyTown, Local and Regional Artists which will be on exhibit in the Main Gallery of LibertyTown all May.

* but not necessarily your first choice…keep reading!

As a ticket holder, you are invited to attend the BIG EVENT on May 29th beginning at 7pm, when our emcee for the evening will begin drawing ticket numbers. As your number is drawn, you are to select/announce the piece you would like. That means that you may not get your first choice… you may actually be the last ticket drawn… but all work in the show has been selected by a juror to ensure its value and quality.

That is why you are encouraged to fill out a “Wish List” of your favorite pieces in the show prior to MAY 29, so that when you come on May 29, you will be ready to select your piece when your number is drawn.

In addition, we will also have a raffle all May for the chance to “win” a ticket to the event! Raffle tickets will be on sale in the gallery for $5.

All funds will go to the running, growing and prospering of LibertyTown Arts Workshop! We thank you for your continued support!

Upcoming Show: "FRESH"

I'm excited to announce that one of my paintings will be part of a group show at the Target Gallery in May. "Fresh" An Exhibition of Urban Contemporary Art will include 29 paintings selected from a national/international pool of artists.

The Target Gallery is one of the feature exhibition spaces in the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, Virginia. I'll be heading up for the reception on May 14. Hope to see you there! - G

FRESH: An Exhibition of Urban Contemporary Art
May 6-31, 2009 Reception: May 14, 6-8pm Gallery Talk: 7pm
Target Gallery, 105 N. Union Street., Alexandria, VA 22314

April Painting: "Griffin Captial"

Below is the latest painting fresh from the PONSHOP studio. Many of my friends and students have seen the progress over the past weeks and it's finally done. Mythological creatures have been a running theme of my work as of late, and I can only attribute the inspiration to growing up with a Dungeons and Dragons role playing set and then (as a college student) seeing the historic sculptures from Rome and Greece. Why a Griffin? honestly, the painting slowly developed into that form one night and after doing some research, I found that the creature (being half lion and half eagle) symbolizes intelligence, strength, and beauty.

"Griffin Capital" is currently on exhibit at Art First Gallery for the month of April.
If interested in purchasing, simply contact me via the PONSHOP website.

"Griffin Capital", Mixed Media on Canvas, 24"x24" $600
(click image to enlarge)

"Griffin Capital" (detail)

(click image to enlarge)