Ever wondered how an artist gets inspiration from their surroundings and turns it into something extraordinary? How do you make the magic happen? The story of “Santa’s Joyride,” my new limited-edition print for 2016, the companion print for “Making Magic in Santa’s Workshop,” is a great example of how the serendipity of everyday life can spark inspiration… if you’re ready to receive it! Back when I was planning out my Jolly Old Elf series, I decided that my theme for 2016 would be the magic and wonder around Santa… but especially the toys! And why shouldn’t Santa himself have toys…

If you ask me “What’s new?” this week, you’re going to get quite an earful! I can’t wait to tell you about all the latest and greatest, and if you come out to Fort Ligonier Days this weekend, you can see it for yourself. Fort Ligonier Days is a wonderful annual October tradition in and around the historic town of Ligonier. I’ll be there all weekend, Friday through Sunday (October 14-16), with a big selection of my art and giftware. The headliner this weekend, of course, will be my latest Jolly Old Elf painting – Santa’s Joyride! I just put…

Can you believe it was just a few years ago (2011) that construction began on the new Consol Energy Center sports arena? And it was only just a few years earlier that I had painted the old Mellon/Civic Arena in “Hockey Fever at Mellon Arena.” As they were tearing down the old arena in early 2011, it seemed that everyone wanted something to remember it by, and soon that print had sold out. My goal (ha ha, see what I did there?) in painting “Pittsburgh’s New Home for Hockey” was to build a bridge of memories from the old arena…