Tailor Made: T-Shirt Showcase

PONSHOP will be hosting the opening reception for “Tailor-Made: T-shirt Showcase” as August’s “First Friday” event. This exhibition will feature new screen-printed shirt designs from PONSHOP, Nightmare Inc., and Icy Grape Incident Clothing. The gallery will also exhibit the original artwork used to produce the clothing graphics.

PONSHOP’s latest art tees for men, women and children feature owner Gabriel Pons’s signature graphics derived from his original paintings.

Nightmare Inc. is a local clothing brand started in 2008 by Massaponax high school senior Ryan Payne. With inspiration from horror films, Nightmare Inc. incorporates iconic imagery into their unique clothing graphics. Nightmare Inc.’s artist Austin Collins has collaborated with PONSHOP on a special T-shirt graphic to be sold exclusively at PONSHOP.

August marks the one-year anniversary of Icy Grape Incident Clothing Company. Founded by seven-cities artist/designer Tony Sementelli, Icy Grape Incident’s goal is to produce high quality clothing with original graffiti inspired artwork. They will be releasing a new colorway at the show, designed exclusively for the August event and sold only at the PONSHOP.

The evening’s event will include music, refreshments and t-shirt giveaways. Music will be provided by DJ Speed on the turntables spinning classic Hip-Hop.

August’s exhibit also includes works by a collection of many local fine artists including Rob Landeck, Adam Desio, Nathan Webster and Nicholas Candela. In addition, the gallery will include works from featured PONSHOP artists Katy Wiedemann (Providence, RI), Joshua Barber (Richmond,VA) and Ginger Huebner (Asheville, NC). PONSHOP’s gallery exhibits over thirty artists making all handmade items from jewelry and clothing to artisan soaps and accessories.

Exhibition Dates: August 5-28, 2011

Urban Decay 2: Opening Night

Outdoor Demo panel by Gregg Deal

June 4, 2011. It's been a "one-two" punch over the past two months working for these back to back shows (G40 & Urban Decay 2) and Saturday Night's Opening Reception for Urban Decay 2 was just the right thing to celebrate all that hard work. Below are some pics from the show. Thanks to Deb Yarrington of The Workhouse Arts Center for organizing a great exhibit. Urban Decay 2 runs through June 26.

Outdoor Demo Panel by Jorge Guillen

Spaghetti Project had a nice spread of vinyl toys for the collectors

The Osedax kicked the night off

Scissor List came on second and rocked the crowd

Jeremy Gann

Bellflur wrapped up the night with their performance.

Gregg Deal

These were my Demo pieces from the evening...

My most recent work at Urban Decay 2

Herberth Oneeightyone

Sylvia Ortiz rock the house

"Art of Recovery" Opening Reception: May 2011

May 6 2011 was the opening night for the seventh annual "Art of Recovery" Exhibit at PONSHOP. Below are pics from the evening. Scarlett and I would like to thank the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board, The Kenmore Club, and all participating organizations for their hard work. A special thanks to all of the fifty artists that have participated - congratulations. PONSHOP is proud to host such a worthwhile cause and effort for our community.

The exhibit features over sixty pieces of art from fifty adults in the Virginia region. (From the RACSB) : "The Art of Recovery provides a forum for artists living with mental illness to gain confidence in their abilities, challenge mental health stigma, and experience community support."

Tracy Ringquist "For One, Many" textile 36"x48"

"The Art of Recovery" exhibit runs through May 30.

Scarlett with Doris Buffet of the Sunshine Lady Foundation.

The Kenmore Club Murals

G40 2011 - Part 2 "Ai Wei Wei: 21st Century Revolutionary"

"Ai Wei Wei: 21st Century Revolutionary" installation by Gabriel Pons at 2011 G40 show in Washington DC

I'm excited to finally post some photos of the installation I completed for the 2011 G40 show. I was invited by microWave project, a collective of site-specific installation artists. Below is some more info about my piece:

The installation piece, "Ai Weiwei: 21st Century Revolutionary" is intended to inform viewers of the contemporary Chinese artist/activist Ai Weiwei, who has been detained by Chinese Authorities since April 3, 2011. The work brings to question “what is criminal?” considering the fact that Ai has been the target of camera surveillance, physical abuse and the demolition of his artist studio in Shanghai by the hands of Chinese officials. In late April, the website change.org, which has been petitioning for Ai’s release came under a cyber attack from within China. Ai Weiwei’s vehement criticism of the Chinese government has resulted in his detention, which has led many human rights activists around the world to ask “Who’s afraid of Ai Wiewei?

The four panels are mixed media (collage, wheat paste, spray paint/stencil) paintings which comprise an 8-foot by 4-foot composition. I incorporated printed material from websites that published articles on Ai Weiwei's situation. As of today, May 24 2011 - the latest news is the Chinese government is accusing Mr. Ai of tax evasion. Four associates of Ai Weiwei are also reported missing.

The background text is a mix of news reporting on the missing artists as well as some relevant lyrics from Public Enemy's "Hazy Shade of Criminal" and "Public Enemy #1" songs.

Scarlett had contributed to the effort by making over 50 ceramic forms which I hand painted with either chinese characters (like "Justice" and "Civillity") and other text corresponding to Ai's circumstances.

The 2011 G40 Show runs until June 17. It is located at 2213 14th Street NW (corner of 14th & Florida)

G40 2011 Uncapped Live Opening Party - Part 1

Below are some photos from the 2011 G40 Show Opening night Thursday May 19. Thanks again to microWave project, Art Whino, and the folks at Vitamin Water for organizing such a fun event. A big Thank You to all my family and friends for their help. Sorry about the lack of captions folks - I just wanna get these up...

(Above) This got buffed after the Vitamin Water Opening on Thursday Night...

Standing in front of "Ai Weiwei: 21st Century Revolutionary" installation piece.

James Walker

Lisa Schumaier

Pam Rogers

Space and Flow

Thanks to Allison Nance and Mary Cook of microWave project.

Ben Graham-Putter

Herberth and Dan with friends...

Imani K Brown

Aniekan Udofia