ROCKTOBER

October is officially renamed to "Rocktober" in the Pons Family Calendar due to rock and roll lifestyle that we're living: face painting, pumpkin patch rides (see the D digging it above), Saturday morning skate sessions...

This is why I've grown to love Virginia - early October weather in the 80s and no humidity: Brooks Park panorama.

B. Smithson (above) blasts frontside for a transfer...

Matt has initiated the Fredericksburg Area Skatepark Association which is a non-profit organization that seeks to improve the quality and conditions of local skateparks through youth involvement and community support. Check out the link and get involved!

Adult Drawing: September 2008

Full Scale Self Portrait: Krissy (left) Gabe (right)

September ushered in a refreshing Adult Drawing Workshop. My student, Krissy, is a high school Junior whose interest in drawing and painting brought her to take this workshop. This workshop encourages students to make a habit out of drawing by keeping a sketchbook and practicing exercises to "strengthen" the students way of seeing and drawing. Below are some examples:

Need a model to draw? draw your hands...(above)Marker sketches of statues in still life. (click to enlarge)

For a current PONSHOP class schedule click here.

Intro to Street Art: September 2008

Nick followed up his "Skate to Create" workshop with the "Intro to Street Art" class. He was interested in creating his own style of letters, so we wasted no time getting down to business with sketching and painting...

Nick learned some "can control" while making his outlines and fills (above and below).

The finished product for his bedroom wall...

For a current PONSHOP Class schedule, click here.

Skate to Create: September 2008

Jedi had one of the most ambitious skateboard designs for a ten year-old. He worked very hard and the results were really impressive. In fact, he continued to improvise and paint up until the end of the class. Nice Work!

The original pencil sketch (above) - kind of reminded me of "Killer Croc" from Spiderman...
Some process photos of the first stencil application (above).

For a current PONSHOP class schedule, click here.

Art at the Mill - Artists' Reception

October 12, 2008: The Pons Family made a trip up to Millwood, Virginia for the Artists' Reception for this year's Fall "Art at the Mill" event. Scarlett and I both contributed to this group show. I gave an artist demonstration throughout the afternoon, but Diego's painting endeavors attracted much more attention. Below are some pics from that day.

Works in progress...(above) click to enlarge.

Jon and Christina Burge volunteered for the day's event.

supermodels (above)Composite photo from Micki and Will's house in Berryville, one of our favorite places on the planet.

Career Night: Salem Church Library

We paid a visit to the Salem Church Library last month for a "Career Night" presentation to local students participating in the "Our Space" afterschool program. We had a chance to share with students our experiences as professionals and how we made decisions that informed our career choices. The goal of Career Night is to encourage young people to think about all the opportunities that their future can offer.
Participating professionals (left to right): Dr. Jacinta Topps- Pediatrician, Sandi Holland -Teacher, Gabriel Pons - Artist, Scarlett Suhy-Pons - Artist, Lena Gonzales-Berios - Librarian, and Sgt. Turner - Recruiter US Marine Corps. not pictured: Kori Terrel - Ballet Instructor.Special Thanks to Francis Fourie (above)- coordinator of the "Our Space" after school program at Salem Church Library.