We’re only one month into 2019, and it’s already been a year of big changes for Tom and me. In the last few weeks, we have moved to a new home, Tom has officially retired, and as of this past weekend, we’re on a much-needed two-week vacation. All this in about four weeks! Not to mention planning and successfully pulling off a surprise retirement party with over 200 friends. So needless to say, I’ve been a little busy. So busy in fact, that last night as I was sitting in the car waiting for Tom to run an errand, I…

Have I told you that I’m moving? Now that the holidays are over, I can think of little else! On the 23rd of January, we’re moving the whole Barnicott operation – not just our personal home, but my studio as well – to our new location in Brentwood. Though preparing for the big move has been a lot of work and perhaps a little stressful, I have to say it’s still very exciting. The reason for the move is that on January 31st, Tom will officially retire from the church after 36 years of ministry. Of course, he’ll never truly…

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday! Though the holidays are my favorite time of year, I still look forward to settling into my normal routines again when January rolls around. As I attempted to get back to my painting yesterday, I had a lovely moment that I’d like to share with you. Our granddaughter Aria, who is all of 2 years old, was at our house for a few hours yesterday, doing what she usually does – playing, running around, and making a lot of noise. I had slipped away to my studio for a few minutes to…

Looking back, it seems those 38 days in Market Square passed in the blink of an eye. But we were still pretty pumped on December 23rd when we emptied the Chalet, packed up the van, and took our traditional final “that’s a wrap” picture. We are done! So what happens next? Every year in the aftermath of our hectic holiday season, Tom and I often wonder…who received a gift of my art? Did they like it? What did they think when they saw the painting? Well, this year I got some idea when I happened to receive an email entitled “Happy…

Can you believe Christmas Eve is only 9 days from now? Before we know it, Santa’s Big Event will be upon us. Somehow despite our hectic pre-Christmas busy-ness, Tom and I managed to schedule a day to play hooky from the Chalet down in Market Square to indulge in a festive new tradition – cutting down our own Christmas tree. We decided to try cutting down our own tree for the first time last year. It was really pretty, but we thought it was maybe a little too small. So this year, of course, we had to overcompensate, and perhaps…

Despite the long hours and cold weather, one of my favorite parts of the Holiday Market is people-watching … looking out from my Chalet to see folks sharing the holiday spirit, shopping, and enjoying hot chocolate and live music. At this time of year, Market Square truly feels like the heart of the city. Folks from all walks of life gather here to enjoy the Holiday Market. People not only from the many neighborhoods of the Pittsburgh area, but from many different cities, states, and even countries as well. What do they have in common? I think it’s our love…

Greetings from the Chalet in Market Square! … pretty much my home-away-from-home until December 23rd. With the frosty weather this week, I’m really glad I invested in some Arctic-grade long underwear! But one of the things that bring some sparkle to all those long cold days is the wonderful visitors who come to see me there. First, of course, The Jolly Old Elf himself has been visiting with children in his Market Square Santa House, and he stopped by on his break to say hello. I have a feeling he just likes looking at all those paintings he’s in! Then just yesterday, the Penn…

Thanksgiving is that wonderful time of year when I kick back and remember how grateful I am for all of you. Every one of you has brought great joy into my life! Just knowing that you read my blog each week and you’re interested in keeping up with my family and my art career means so much to me. You are the reason I paint, whether it’s our beloved Pittsburgh, familiar landmarks… and of course, the Big Man himself, Santa. So for this special holiday weekend – and that includes Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, up until midnight on Cyber…

And so it begins… We found all of the decorations. Then we bought a few more. We boxed up hundreds of prints and giftware pieces, loaded them in the van, and brought them downtown. All day long, we hung paintings, filled up my displays, and made sure everything was in place. Why all the hard work? Because today is Day 1 of 38 days of holiday cheer at the annual Holiday Market in Market Square! The soft opening tonight (Thursday, November 15th) is mostly unadvertised. It’s sort of a dry run to make sure everything is in working order and the…

It seemed like Fall was playing games with us this year, and the leaves took forever to turn. But finally the fall foliage has arrived, filling our world with a plethora of beautiful colors. I was afraid we would miss out on that this year with all the unusual weather. And now another sign of the changing of the seasons is coming our way… It’s hard to believe, but in just one week, it’s time for my longest (and favorite) show of the year – the Pittsburgh Holiday Market in Market Square! As they do every year, the Market will have a Soft…