Snacks: Spicy Goodness

If you like hot food, you must try Sabra Supremely Spicy Hummus. It has a chipotle topping that will wake your mouth up!
I dip into it with a Pecan or Almond Nut-Thins cracker. Nut-Thins are so tasty! Don't let the "gluten-free" label scare you...They are addictive!

Beads: Iconic Floral set

Beads: Turquoise, Gold, Red

I made the sets below in the last few days. Will work on two special orders tonight with some online etnertainment (hulu, Stewart/Colbert, Conan, streaming netflix, audible.com, etc.), two movies (500 Days of Summer and Shutter Island) and several sets of The Learning Company CDs. There aren't enough hours in the day!
I used to think that when my old TV dies I would get a big screen TV...but now I think I won't even replace it. I'll just get a larger computer monitor. And I'll eventually end up living in one room with the clay, the colored pencils, the pastels, the computer, and some piece of exercise equipment.

Artist: Tony Allain

I saw Tony Allain's pastels in a magazine a while ago and loved his work. I just now ran into his blog. Seriously, his work makes me swoon! Gorgeous Gorgeous Gorgeous! Minimalist and perfect. Some have a vaguely retro look about them...they'd look right at home in Don Draper's office!
Look at these...

Federation Square, Melbourne  (detail at left...I love the periwinkle blue that he uses a lot)

Red Umbrella       Don't Look Back    Waiting    Art Lovers  
Green Light at St. Kilda

St. Kilda Tram

Artist: Jeannie McGuire

After the pastel workshop (see post below), a few of us went to an open house at artist Jeannie McGuire's house. She works in watercolor and has a gorgeous, distinctive style. She does figures and uses strong cropping to add drama and put the focus on the subject. She was the featured artist in the Aug 2010 Watercolor Magazine.

And I am totally jealous of her attic studio. If I had such a room I would never leave it!

 Go look at her website!

 
At the open house I had this deeeeeeelicious white bean, rosemary,and lemon zest dip. Addictive and delicious!

Pastels: Pat Young Workshop for PPAL

Pat Young, a member of Pittsburgh Pastel Artists League, gave a workshop today at 3rd Street Gallery. She talked about composition and showed us how to add more interest to our pastels with a colored and "textured' ground on our paper that's created with water and pastel. It never occurred to me to mix pastel and water!
My reference was one of the many photos I took in New York last month. I snapped the Chelsea Gourmet Deli on W22nd in Chelsea, right down the street from where we stayed.