Sarris Candies, Pittsburgh Artist Team Up on Delicious Depiction

What do you get when you cross crawdads, garlic, paint, sand and now Sarris chocolates?

Pittsburgh artist Johno Prascak, of course.

A limited edition box of Sarris chocolates—showcasing Prascak’s original artwork—hit shelves Monday, and he couldn’t be more ecstatic.

“For an artist, it’s a deal that could go on for the rest of my life…and even in death,” he quipped. “It’s the best chocolate in the world. As I said on TV, I grew up on Hershey’s and my wife Maria introduced me to Sarris 30 years ago—I never looked back.”

Prascak made the announcement Tuesday on KDKA’s Pittsburgh Today Live.

He was featured in a segment called, “In the Kitchen with Johno Prascak,” where he cooked crawdads—something he told Patch was on his bucket list.

The second segment featured Prascak and Sarris' marketing director Athena Sarris Simms making their highly anticipated announcement.

The limited edition box displays his original Pittsburgh skyline painting—done in 2004—and is filled with the Canonsburg confectioner's most popular assortment.

“This is a first for Sarris Candies,” Simms said during Tuesday morning’s broadcast. “His artwork represents Pittsburgh so well. (Prascak) is such an icon in Pittsburgh. What better pairing than to pair Sarris Candies with the representation of the city of Pittsburgh.”

Prascak said he’s elated about the partnership that’s been kept quiet for a few months.

“This is a new journey for them and they took a chance on me,” he said. “I’m a proud Pittsburgher and they are awesome people.”

Simms said this is fantastic for people that live here or for those who don’t live here anymore—a perfect way to send a piece of Pittsburgh elsewhere, or take when traveling, she said. 

The limited edition boxes are available at Giant Eagle, , , , , and —among many other retailers. You can also order online. For a full list of retailers, click here.

Simms said the Pittsburgh skyline chocolates will be available until the end of 2012, and that she's hoping Prascak and the company can collaborate again—possibly for next season.

“Athena and the Sarris family have been wonderful to me and my family,” Prascak said on PTL. "How cool is this? It’s available at the airport—at Hudson News. You take it on a plane; it's an easy thing.

"I'm so honored—having my work at KDKA, the Pittsburgh Steelers, just keep it going in life."

Prascak will be chatting about his latest news on the DVE Morning Show Wednesday morning at 9:45 a.m. Be sure to tune in!

For more studio news and artwork, visit johnosart.com. Follow Prascak's updates on Twitter: @johnosartstudio and Facebook.

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