Where music and art come together, one would find South Pasadena resident Susan Pascale.

Pascale has been the Director of the Pascale Music Institute for 13 years, and is known as the Strings Lady of South Pasadena for her work teaching stringed instruments. She is now receiving recognition for a completely different talent – illustration and design.

Her book, ‘The Ultimate Practice Organizer,’ has been selected for inclusion in an exhibit at a prestigious gallery in New York City. It one of 80 chosen from 600 submissions around the world from alumni of the Parsons the New School for Design.

The book, designed to entice youngsters into practicing their instruments, features bold design and many whimsical drawings by Pascale, including a giant yellow bird on the cover, and many more fun characters within.

Pascale also illustrated her violin method book, “The Pascale Method for Beginning Violin,” with pictures as well as peel-off stickers for teachers and instructors to give children as rewards. Both books are distributed internationally by Alfred Music Publishing.

“For the last 13 years, this has been my little secret,” says Pascale. “When no one’s looking I love creating whimsical characters that will eventually appear on my worksheets, books or stickers. I love teaching kids to play the violin, and I love conducting my amazing children’s orchestra; but humorous illustration is my first love.”

Pascale holds the distinction of graduating from the two different schools that – long after she graduated both – merged to create Parsons. She studied violin at Mannes College in NYC; after a year as a professional violinist, she went on to get a degree in art from the Parson’s school of Design., with an emphasis on illustration She’s created cartoons and illustrations for numerous periodicals, including the New York Times, and ran a successful independent greeting card company in New York for ten years.

“The Ultimate Practice Organizer” will be on display October 11-21, 2014 in the Arnold and Sheila Aronson Galleries in New York City. The book is also sold coast to coast, from the L.A. Philharmonic’s Disney Hall store to the Juilliard School bookstore in Manhattan.

“It was very gratifying to receive this recognition,” says Pascale. “I always went back and forth between art and music as a kid and in my education. Because of my music teaching, I get what kids need and like, and I enjoy doing illustrations that will appeal to them. It all came together.”

Pascale adds that she encourages her students to do varied arts, not just music. “A kid that loves visual art will do well in music, and vice versa,” she says.

For more information about the Practice Organizer,go to http://stringsprogram.com/product/the-ultimate-practice-organizer-with-reward-stickers-2/.

For information about the Pascale Music Institute, go to http://www.stringsprogram.com.