Scarlett and I are genuinely excited to host the opening reception of "Public/Private" this Friday, April 1. We wanted to cordially invite you to the opening since it promises to be a fun event: We'll have a brief gallery talk and presentatin of awards, and at 7:30pm, a local improv troupe "The Undeniably Adjacent" will be privately performing in our public storefront. As a means of kicking off the month-long exhibit, these live performances will be based on the theme of the the "Public/Private" Exhibition – exploring the delineation between the public domain and our private space.
We are pleased to announce the results of the "Public/Private" Juried Exhibit at PONSHOP. We've received 33 submissions from 20 artists. Juror Kathleen Walsh selected 25 works for exhibit.
Below are the award winners:
3 Merit Awards ($100 each) will be presented to:
Joshua Barber, “Just Makin' Out at Steak and Ale”
Steve Jeter, “Sacred Heart #1 and #2”
Ed King, “Self Portrait With Shades”
3 Honorable Mentions ($25 PONSHOP Gift Certificates) will be presented to:
Rob Landeck, “Hope”
Ana Rendich, “Mi Barrio”
Sandy Leigh Skipper, “Behind an Ancient Austrian Door”
Congratulations to all the artists that have participated in this month-long exhibit. "Public/Private" features work from:
Laura Allen, Chris Austin, Jams Baugess, Joshua Barber, Jurgen Brat, Greg Crawford, Jeff Gulick, Barbara Taylor Hall, Steve Jeter, Derek Kirkland, Ed King, Rob Landeck, Sidney Mullis, J. Fred Perrine, Ana Rendich, Mirinda Reynolds, Chris Schumacher, Sandy Leigh Skipper, Reuben Strangelove, and Thom White.
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:
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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
PONSHOP Studio and Gallery premiered its first juried art exhibition on Friday night, September 3, 2010.The “Square City” show invited artists to submit work inspired by the city within the restrictions of a two-dimensional 12”x12” to 24”x24” square.By limiting the artists to these dimensions, owners Scarlett Suhy-Pons and Gabriel Pons were able to arrange the artwork to imitate the pattern of city blocks in the gallery, so that not only the artwork, but also its presentation reflected the theme.
The juror, Bob Worthy, selected 32 pieces by 28 different artists that he felt captured and showed new ways of looking at “the city.” The pieces selected ranged over a variety of media to reflect the diversity and richness of an urban environment. During the opening, an informal gallery talk was given where the PONSHOP owners thanked the artists and patrons and introduced Bob Worthy. Worthy congratulated the artists for their work, praised their creativity, and spoke on what “Square City” meant to him. He admitted how hard it was to choose three pieces for the Merit Awards and three pieces for Honorable Mentions because of the impressive level of work that was submitted.
There were three Merit Award Winners. Each received an $80 cash prize. Below are the Merit Award Winners:
"Alley" by Crystal Rodrigue, image collage on copper leaf, 20" x 20"
“City Lights” by Reuben Strangelove, fiberboard and LED illumination, 12" x 12"
“Lonesome Ave” by Robert Landeck, mixed media collage on canvas, 20" x 20"
Three artists received Honorable Mentions and were each awarded $25 PONSHOP gift certificates. Below are the Honorable Mention Winners:
“Where I Came From” by Ana Rendich, oil, 15" x 15"
“Stairway to Heaven” by Michelle Pierson, photography, 15" x 15"
“Shellshock, Livestock, This is No Oasis” by Nicholas A. Candela, mixed media, 13" x 13"
Below are some selections from "Square City":
"City" by Patte Ormsby, mixed media, 24" x 24"
"Downtown City Square" by Becky Hubbard, textile, 16" x 16"
"Night Light" by Bill Firestone, acrylic on canvas, 22" x 22"
"What Lies Beneath" by Leslie Brier, mixed media,12" x 12"
In addition to these works, other featured artists include: John Earl, Bonnie Butler, Mary Mogee, Mirinda Reynolds, N.D. Jones, David Chance, Itty Bitty Press, Karen Julihn, Shannon Chance, J. Fred Perrine, Jennie Thomas, Linda Keefer, Milvi Gill, Joyce Leatherwood, Erin Kidd, Cathy Herndon, Pat Knock, and Jeff Gulick.
The opening night was a great success with a large turnout of both artists and fans.DJ Bredren rocked out on his turn tables, setting the mood for the exhibit with funky reggae music.In addition, Karma Fire performed fire eating and fire dancing in front of the shop throughout the night.She attracted huge interest with her flaming torches, something never before seen on the streets of Fredericksburg.
We would like to thank the following for their hard work in making Square City such a success: guest juror Bob Worthy, PONSHOP summer intern Kelly Penick (graphics and promotion), DJ Bredren, all of the artists that submitted work, as well as all participating artists.For more information about upcoming PONSHOP events, please email event@ponshopstudio.com. "Square City" runs until September 26.
PONSHOP Studio and Gallery is hosting its first juried art exhibition in September of 2010. Titled “Square City”, the show challenges participating artists to contribute two- dimensional artwork limited to square dimensions (between 12”x12” to 24”x24”) that incorporate the theme of the city for their inspiration. Juried by Bob Worthy, the show promises to celebrate the richness, diversity, and life that emerge from the urban environment.
“Why the Square?” Gallery owner Gabriel Pons placed this limit on the format of the work so that he can arrange the artwork in a city grid on the gallery walls. The presentation of the work will be reflective of the city itself – dense diverse networks of space that invite exploration and discovery. The theme of the city is something that Pons has explored in his own work throughout the years. With a background in architecture and having lived in New York City from 1999-2005, his work has been both inspired by and influenced by his experiences. He deliberately kept the “city” theme broad to invite a range of interpretation. Artists could reflect on cities of the past, present, and future – both real and imaginary. The gallery will award three merit awards (cash prizes) and three honorable mentions (gift certificates) to selected artists.
Bob Worthy is an active participant in the Fredericksburg Arts community. A member of the Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts, he holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Fine Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University where he is now an adjunct professor. Mr. Worthy exhibits his award winning artwork throughout the mid-Atlantic region. In October of 2000, Worthy was recognized at the Fredericksburg Virginia Regional Arts Awards, as an individual artist, for outstanding achievements and contributions to the cultural life of the greater Fredericksburg region. He also received a Certificate of Recognition from the Virginia Governor's Awards for the Arts during the same month.
PONSHOP is a multifaceted storefront: an artist studio, gallery, retail store, and classroom. The vision of the owners, Gabriel Pons and Scarlett Suhy-Pons, is to provide a place that embodies what they love: art, design, and creative education. The gallery/shop features a variety of work from artists both near and far. Their studio also doubles as a classroom, providing workshops for students interested in everything from painting, ceramics, and architecture to street art and skateboarding. PONSHOP is excited to present the work of “Square City” to the public in September.
In September 2010, PONSHOP will transform their gallery walls to reflect the richness, diversity, and life emerging from cities of the past, present, and future. PONSHOP invites artists working in all two-dimensional media to participate in “Square City”, a regional juried exhibition. Below are the two page of the entry form for artists interested in participating.
Eligibility
This exhibit is open to all artists (professional and emerging) in the Northern Virginia Region. “Two dimensional” artwork is inclusive of mediums including but not limited to: painting, drawing, mixed media, photography, ceramics, and mosaics. All artwork must be hand delivered to the gallery.
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The City as the Theme
City: (noun) A center of population, commerce, and culture; a town of significant size and importance.
What does the city evoke in you? Is it merely the streets and structures, or is it the people and culture that inspire? This exhibition challenges artists to explore all dimensions of the city - both real and imaginary, near and far, with the intention of celebrating the epicenters of civililzation.
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
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
