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 Monday, December 10, 2007
Hobbies and Your Health
Posted by anne
A New York Times article confirms what we already know: having a creative hobby is good for us. According to the article, medical experts confirm that hobbies stimulate creativity and help sharpen one's focus. In a nutshell, when we're doing something we enjoy, our concentration releases chemicals in our brain that provide a boost of energy and increase motivation. So, I know this, and you know this, but do your workaholic friends know this? For those you know whose job is their hobby, let them know: Having a hobby improves job
performance. Gail McMeekin, owner of a career coaching
company, was quoted in the article as saying, "Any time you take a break from routine, you develop new
ways of thinking." Anytime we nurture creativity, then, we unleash new ways of
thinking, new ways of doing things, and the next big idea.
Monday, December 10, 2007 6:56:24 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00) 
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Friday, December 07, 2007
Michelangelo Sketch Found in St. Peter's
Posted by jessica
A sketch of St. Peter's dome, which is believed to be one of Michelangelo's last before his death, was discovered in the basilica's offices, according to The Boston Herald. The sketch, drawn in red chalk, was created in 1563 for stonecutters who were working on the basilica. The artist died in 1564.
Overheard
Friday, December 07, 2007 2:46:42 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Wednesday, December 05, 2007
And the Pastel Competition Parade Marches On
Posted by Sarah
 The Pastel Society of Tampa Bay has announced the winners of its 2nd Annual Possibilities in Pastel Juried Pastel Exhibition, which will take place at The Octagon Art Center Unitarian Universalist in Clearwater, Florida, through January 9th, 2008. This year's juror was Bill Renc and the winners include Anna Wainright, Anneke Huestein and Brooke Allison. Visit the society's blog for the full details. Thanks to Virginia for the skinny. If you'd like to annouce your society's competition news, please drop us a line at pjedit@fwpubs.com.
Overheard | Shows and Events
Wednesday, December 05, 2007 2:09:55 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Monday, December 03, 2007
Creative Spark Winner
Posted by anne
 In the December issue of the magazine, we introduced a new element, "Creative Spark," to the Art Matters column (page 9), in which pastel artist Carole Katchen provides tips and techniques for finding inpsiration and recharging our creativity. In each installment, Katchen will also offer readers a Creative Spark challenge. In this first installment, the challenge was to choose a letter of the alphabet to inspire a painting composition, and we invited readers to email us with their letter-inspired creations. We saw some terrific paintings, and today, I'm pleased to share with you our winning entry —Café Study (left; pastel, 8x10) by Marie Stanton Cardany of Stuart, Fla. Cardany's painting, created on Canson paper, used the letter "A" to inspire its composition. Cardany will receive a 39-piece set of pastels from Great American Artworks. Congratulations!  Other favorite submissions include Kimono by Mary Ann Pals, of Chesterton, Ind., in which the letter "S" leads the viewer's eye through the folds of silk and through the painting. In Two Pots, by Lynn Chapman, of Pueblo, Colo, the letters "C" and "O" take shape.  Thanks to everyone who participated in our challenge. And don't forget to look for the next Creative Spark in the Jan/Feb issue of the magazine—coming soon (on sale on newsstands January 1). The winner of that challenge will receive $150 worth of Kitty Wallis paper!
Art Inspiration | Overheard
Monday, December 03, 2007 7:30:26 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Friday, November 30, 2007
Greetings from The Pastel Journal Elves
Posted by jessica
Something fun for a Friday: The PJ staff has turned into elves—and so can you. Thanks to ElfYourself.com, a fun site presented by OfficeMax, you can easily upload a photo and “start the Elfamorphosis.” Voilà, you’re an elf—an elf who loves to dance. Here we are, L-to-R: myself, Sarah, Anne, and Cindy.
Friday, November 30, 2007 3:45:48 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Variations on a Theme: Falling Through the Cracks
Posted by Sarah
 1. In art news today, it seems the crack in the Tate has struck once again. The BBC reports that Doris Salcedo's Shibboleth 2007, the eighth
exhibit in the museum's Turbine Hall series has now claimed as many as
15 victims. The installation, which features a large crack in the floor
meant to symbolize racial hatred and division in society, appears to be
a magnet for what some commentators have deemed "stupid people."
The Guardian reports:
"We saw the first poor victim, a young woman who went into it with both
feet up to just below her knees. She had to be dragged out by her
friends," said one onlooker. "Unbelievably,
as we watched to see whether she was OK, an older woman deliberately
stepped on it (she later told us, amazingly, that she thought the crack
was painted on the floor) lurched forward and landed on the ground. She
had a sore wrist to show for it."
2. It appears as though there are cracks as well in the Smithsonian, though they're a result of shoddy maintainence and repair, rather than an artist's vision. NPR reports
that "Chronic leaks, poor climate control, and outdated electrical
systems threaten both the collections and visitors." And it doesn't
seem as though Congress will be rescuing the museum anytime soon.
Listen to the story here. Fundraising ideas? The Hope Diamond has to be worth something.
3. How does the theft of 51 works of art, including a Rembrandt and a Guido Reni, slip through the cracks? You'd have to ask the municipal art gallery in Catania, on Sicily, though it's unlikely they'd have a very good explaination. The theft took place 13 years ago and was only discovered recently. The Guardian reports that the Catania councillor responsible for culture stumbled upon the theft she calls "the robbery of the century," after being assigned to overhaul the art gallery, which is housed in a medieval castle. Perhaps moats aren't as effective as they once were.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007 3:14:31 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Monday, November 26, 2007
Fun Stuff From My In Box
Posted by anne
A friend forwarded me this link showing an artist's drawing of a female model from the inside out—skeleton to body to undergarments to clothes. I don't know to whom to credit the work, unfortunately, but it is an entertaining two minutes.
Art Inspiration
Monday, November 26, 2007 6:46:31 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving!
Posted by anne
This may be a stretch as an art-related topic for the blog, but as a
writer, I certainly consider words to be an important artistic tool. With that in mind, I'd like to share with you my favorite new website: www.freerice.com. A sister site of the world poverty site, Poverty.com, Free Rice tests your English vocabulary and, with every correct answer, sets aside grains of rice for hungry people around the world. Think of it: You can improve your vocabulary with an addictive online game and help stop world hunger at the same time! So, as our minds turn to feasting this week, perhaps this will be one way to "give back" to those less fortuntate. If nothing else, now you have something to do while you wait for that turkey to come out of the oven! Happy Thanksgiving!
Art Inspiration
Tuesday, November 20, 2007 4:42:21 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Friday, November 16, 2007
Seeing Through the Eyes of Degas & Monet
Posted by jessica
 In our December issue you’ll find an item in the “Art Matters” column about a medical study of Edgar Degas and Claude Monet’s deteriorating eyesight and how it changed their painting styles. Here you’ll find a slideshow of how these artists viewed their subjects, based on Stanford University School of Medicine Opthamologist Michael Marmor’s study and computer simulation.
Overheard
Friday, November 16, 2007 8:55:13 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Your Pastel Society News
Posted by Sarah
 The Appalachian Pastel Society has announced the winners of its 2nd Annual Competition, currently on display at the Grace Centre in Fletcher, North Carolina through November 30, 2007. This year's juror was Luana Luconi Winner. Best in Show: Kelly Welch, Moonrise (shown here) 1st Place: Nancy Marshburn, Sugar Cane Blues2nd Place: Susan M. Sinyai, Straw into Gold3rd Place: Suzanne Karnatz, I Heard the Lord Call My Name; JuliaElla Maguire Memorial Award: Irma P. Webb, Country LadyThanks to J Kay Gordon (2007 Exhibition Chair) for the skinny.
Shows and Events
Wednesday, November 14, 2007 2:05:52 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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