Hi, it’s Linda!

You know… the artist who started at the Pittsburgh Home and Garden Show 29 years ago? When we made the decision not to participate this year, I had no idea how much I would miss it.

I literally started the Artists’ Aisle years and years ago. In my first year at the old Convention Center, I was the only artist on the second floor. My booth was between bathtubs and windows. People told me that my booth was like having dessert after all those garage doors and garden sheds! For 8 years, I remained the only artist exhibitor until we moved to the new Convention Center, when show owner John DeSantis decided to create an Interior Design section. My booth was located right at its beginning facing the lobby.

Tom and I were driving last week during the time when I would have been setting up at the Convention Center, and we were talking about how we would missing our old friends at the show. After reminiscing for a while, we came up with a fun way to remember the show by having an “online show” of my own. A Stay-Home Show!

I’ve always had an online show! So, in keeping with my 28-year history with the Home and Garden Show, you can visit my website (lindabarnicott.com) and receive 10% off and Free Shipping on orders over $26.00. Ironically, the code will be SPRING26. This offer is valid for the remainder of the Pittsburgh Home and Garden Show which ends tomorrow, Sunday, March 15^th.

The only exclusions will be candles, as always, and the Specialty Gift categories.

In the meantime, life without the show isn’t so bad. I’m painting!

Have a great weekend, and I hope you enjoy my online Stay-Home Show!

The title of today’s blog relates to our experiences at last week’s South Hills Home Show at AHN Cool Springs Sports Complex in Bethel Park.

From the moment we arrived Thursday to set up, the other vendors went out of their way to welcome us and to help us carry everything in. Friends and customers stopped by to tell me they were so glad I was there and that they found me! On Friday, Andy from Evey Hardware showcased our booth on BPTV. And on Saturday, KDKA’s Rob Pratte Live interviewed me for about 20 minutes. He asked questions about my career and told me how much he treasured the portrait that I painted years ago of his children and his train set-up. It was a portrait that I dearly loved painting.

A young man who modeled for my painting of “Riding Kennywood’s Auto Race and Train” wanted to show me how little he was when I painted the piece back in 2002!

Hi, it’s Linda!

It was 29 years ago that I called John DeSantis of the Pittsburgh Home and Garden Show to inquire about becoming a vendor for the upcoming year. To my surprise, he had actually heard of me, and from that moment on treated me as if I were one very special person!

The year before, Tom and I were taking in the show on the old Convention Center second floor, where we came across a friend whose gallery had carried my art. He told us that I should set up at the show and ask to be on the second floor and not the third floor where the other artists were located. He said it was hot up there, and people who made it up to the third floor were often hot and tired (if they made it up there at all).

So, as per his suggestion, the following year, I set up my booth on the second floor between Bathtubs and Windows. I had the best neighbors, too!

People seemed to enjoy having something different to look at besides garage doors and patio furniture, and it became my spring home for 28 years. I have loved being a part of it and have always considered it my favorite show!

But as they say, some chapters in life must end for new chapters to begin. This year, Tom and I will be vendors at two home shows: the Montour Home Show this weekend, and the South Hills Home Show next weekend.  Although these shows are only three days each, together they add up to six of the ten days we would otherwise be set up downtown.

What also sealed the deal for us is that parking and admission are FREE for all of my friends/collectors. It’s not as big a show, and we hope our folks will be able to see everything and swing back without getting exhausted!

This will be our first time exhibiting at these shows, and we’re looking forward to hearing your impressions. So, if you happen to be in the area, we would love to have you stop by!

I’ll be showcasing my new painting for the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America, “Our Lady of Liberty,” with five prints available for the show. I’ll also have a few smaller mini-prints and the first sample of the new ornament of the piece (which is almost perfect). I’ll have the finished ornaments next weekend at the South Hills Home Show, but you can order them this weekend. Proceeds will go to the Bethel Park Community Foundations.

I hope my fully stocked booth will reveal the perfect gift of art for a special occasion in your life!

Hi, it’s Linda!

What a great day it was!!!

Four paintings celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States were unveiled on Saturday, featuring the creativity of three Pittsburgh artists – Maria De Simone Prascak, Johno Prascak, and myself. Each painting (commissioned by the Bethel Park Community Foundation) tells a story of some of the best aspects of our country. As with my painting of “Our Lady of Liberty,” Maria’s painting of the eagle flying upward and forward symbolizes the strength, optimism, resiliency, hope, and joyful inspiration that our country was founded on.

Andy Amrhein (on Saturday morning, AKA “Alexander Hamilton”) is one of the region’s great visionaries and has worked relentlessly to make this 250th anniversary project memorable. Other special guests were the “Statue of Liberty,” (otherwise known as Christine McIntosh, Executive Director of the Bethel Park Library), and our “Betsy Ross,” portrayed by Event Planner Jacqueline Volpe.

All in all, everyone present had a great time. We hope that you will enjoy our artwork dedicated to this historic year as we all strive toward building “a more perfect union.”

Have a great week!

Hi, it’s Linda!

Two weeks of water aerobics in Puerto Rico have done wonders for my body! I went from a body in winter dormancy to helping shovel out five cars since I’ve been back in Pittsburgh!

Now that I’m building stamina, you might believe me when I say I’m training for my painting marathon that will be starting any day now!

I’ve got all my pastels in order, and my pastel paper is getting mounted on museum-quality board. I’m tanned, rested, and itching to get started!  I already have two Pittsburgh pieces in mind and a private commission to start on right away. The private commission is a gift, so all I can share with you is that it’s a wedding portrait, outdoors at their venue. It will be fun to paint it since I love painting portraits!

Our special event, February 7th’s unveiling of “Our Lady of Liberty,” is just nine days away. The event will also feature art from Maria and Johno and JP! The presentation starts at 11 am, and all are invited to attend.

Attendees so far for the presentation will be… PA Rep. Natalie Mihalek, PA Senator Devlin Robinson, County Exec Sarah Innamorato, and Bethel Park’s school district board, municipal council, Mayor, and magistrate, as well as all of the Foundation board members with Larry Richert from KDKA as our MC. And of course, the media. It’s going to be an epic day! I hope you can make it.

Hi, it’s Linda!

Tom and I have been on a lovely little getaway to Puerto Rico for the last week and a half. Reluctantly, we’re cutting our vacation short a day so that we can get back safely before the winter storm arrives. I know Pittsburgh has had a lot of harsh weather over the last two weeks, and while we’re thrilled to have missed it, we’ve been concerned for everyone’s safety during this miserable cold spell.

I know that while we’re feeling gentle breezes here, the folks back home are feeling something a whole lot different! So we’re just going to enjoy the next two days and pray for a safe return.

I’m grateful that we have been able to enjoy our first trip to the Caribbean and 80° weather after a challenging and cold Holiday Market. If it rains here, it only lasts about 5 or 10 minutes, and then it’s done.

We had a chance to kayak, and I realized how awful I am at it! If it weren’t for Tom, I might still be out there somewhere. But hey, it was still a grand adventure!

We also had a chance to explore the island. It’s a breathtakingly beautiful place – lots of mountains and beaches, the rainforest, and the different local climates around the island.

When I return home, I’ll be getting ready for the special event on Saturday, February 7th – and you’re all invited!

The event is the unveiling of the artwork that has been created for the 250th anniversary celebration of our country. I hope you can attend!

Scroll down for the invitation…

Happy Holidays!

Because we work right up to Christmas Eve, Tom and I celebrate the 12 days of Christmas each year by doing something special together each day. In years past, we’ve gone to places like the Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens in Akron, Ohio, Dickens Victorian Village in Cambridge, Ohio, and Steubenville Nutcracker Village, also in Ohio.

This year so far we haven’t strayed too far from home, but we have already had a movie night out with “Song Sung Blue.” We’ve also watched some of our favorite holiday movies at home like George C. Scott in “A Christmas Carol” and my personal favorite, “It’s a Wonderful Life”. (The ending gets me every time!).

Our first night out was Dazzling Lights at the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, and it was stunning!

This year, however, is different from other years. We’re not quite finished with the Holiday Market yet!

On New Year’s Eve, Tom and I will be taking a small break from our yearly tradition to go back downtown to celebrate First Night, but as vendors, not visitors!  The Chalet will reopen from 7-11pm on New Year’s Eve. The Downtown Pittsburgh Partnership gave each of us the option to come back for one more night, as we’re located in the heart of Pittsburgh’s Cultural District.

Since the last 2 New Years Eves have been more like “set my alarm to right before midnight, wake up, kiss, and go back to sleep” (I know, I’m showing my age!), Tom and I thought this would be fun change of pace.

On this last day of the year, we’ll be ringing in the New Year with holiday specials at my Chalet! So if you’re in town to celebrate the New Year, stop by and enjoy a little holiday shopping with Tom and me!

I hope you’ll bundle up (since this winter has been rough so far!) and join in the festivities of First Night!

Happy New Year!

Only 7 days until Christmas! Hard to believe, isn’t it? It feels like just yesterday that we were setting up the Chalet!

Tom and I have gotten into a good routine. He drops me off at the Benedum lot and helps get all my windows open and set up our counter. Then he drives to 15th St., which is about a 20-minute walk from where we are, and walks back. Some days he endures the cold, and sometimes like yesterday, he enjoys the sun and warmth.

We have a wonderful little international community here in the Benedum lot. There is Ruthie, whose wares are from Kenya… Claus and Mick from Bali…  Allison with the most beautiful Slavic gifts… David, our jeweler… and Kelly from Cute as a Dumpling and her adorable felt characters. Ireland is right next door! Larry and Jay are selling candles and Polish merchandise right next door to Kathe Wohlfahrt’s German treasures.

Myself? Well, I’m all about memories. Pittsburgh scenes and Santa paintings are my specialty.

If you can’t make it to the market, visit my website at www.lindabarnicott.com, though it may be too late to receive your purchase before the holiday.

If you do make it to the market (and I hope you will!), I have many items there that are not on my website. One in particular is very popular – my puzzles! When people complain (kidding, of course!) about the 1000 pieces, I’ll often wink and say, “Well, I painted it. You can certainly piece it together!” I do have two completed, framed puzzles at the market so that folks can see the size and color. They are $35.00 each and are only sold at the market.

So, stop by over the next seven days and find that perfect, unique gift that will bring back fantastic warm memories!

Happy Holidays!

Yep, you heard me right!

Last week’s free shipping promotion was such a success, I decided to extend my FREE SHIPPING offer on all orders over $50.00 for another weekend. My goal is to make your life as easy as possible this Holiday Season! So step up and take advantage of another weekend of free shipping – the offer ends at midnight Sunday, December 8th.

I know not all of you can make it down to our beautiful, quaint Holiday Market. I hope this offer will give you a chance to shop with me without even venturing from your cozy sofa!

It looks like Mr. Winter has stepped all over Fall this week and given us a real taste of Holiday “cheer!” So if you’re coming to visit, make sure to dress warm, get out those hand warmers, and stop by the Holiday Market. I promise you, it won’t disappoint!

If you happen to show up when my husband Tom is there, then you’re in for a real treat. Despite 45 years of marriage, he is still somehow very funny! I guarantee you’ll get a smile… if not a full-blown laugh! And everyone knows that Art and Laughter are great for your health!

I still have a good selection of art prints and gifts at my Chalet. Remember, the earlier you shop, the better chance I can fulfill your holiday list! We open every day at 11 am, and we’ll be here every day until December 24th, when we close our doors at 3 pm!

Have a great week, and I hope to see or hear from you!