When Johno Prascak paints, "muted" isn't on the palette. His most recent work, unveiled last Saturday at the annual Victorian Christmas Concert and Dinner to benefit the Carnegie Library of Homestead in Munhall, certainly fulfilled the assignment.

"They said 'make the building sing,' " said Mr. Prascak, who was born in Munhall and grew up in Dormont.

The 4-by-5-feet painting, capturing the exterior of the library from the perspective of someone looking up the hill, glows with his trademark contrasts of bright colors.

The building itself is bricked in yellows, oranges, dashes of pale blue-grays, while above, an azure sky is shocked through with bright white, mauve, hot pink and Steelers yellow.

The original, commissioned by the library board, now hangs in the main entrance of the building, near a portrait of Andrew Carnegie.

Like all of his works, a little bit of Pittsburgh is in the medium. Mr. Prascak has a supplier not far from his South Side Slopes studio who provides sand from the Monongahela River.

"I always use the sand, it's very pebbly and rough and I love that," the artist said. "It lends great texture to my originals."

Mr. Prascak's original works begin at $5,000, but it's an investment that will pay off for the library. He had 2,007 prints made, of which the library received 1,600.

These signed, numbered prints will sell for $50 apiece, unframed, with smaller, 11-by-17-inch versions available for $20.

Ultimately, he said, the library stands to raise between $80,000 and $100,000 from the sales.

Prints can be purchased by calling the library at 412-462-3444, ext. 227 or online in the near future at www.homesteadlibarary.org.

Last weekend's event was a sell-out, with more than 200 reservations for the black-tie dinner and concert.

"A nice crowd, they loved it," said Mark Fallon, board member and Mon Valley historian.

A highlight of the evening was provided by actor David Conrad, a native of Swissvale currently starring in television's "Ghost Whisperer."

Mr. Conrad helped unveil the painting during an intermission in the concert, and later performed a reading of "The Night Before Christmas."

There was also a Nativity scene at the library, where holiday events are ongoing.

This Saturday, from 5 to 9 p.m., features the seventh annual Dickens of a Christmas Home Tour. Decorated, Victorian homes in Munhall will be open, with tours beginning in the library's Music Hall.

Tickets are $15 (no children younger than 16 years old are permitted and the tour is not handicapped-accessible) and can be purchased at the library that evening or at the Historic Munhall Library Estates Web site (www.hmle.org).