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…

Today I’m at the Giant Oaks Garden Club’s “A Victorian Tinsel Christmas,” and I’m taking advantage of a little break in the action to sit down for a bit, catch my breath, and write a quick note to you. I’m still playing catch up after last week’s very successful – and very fun! – Trunk Show and Studio Open House. The folks who came by really seemed to enjoy both the evening and the daytime events. I’m very grateful for everyone who showed up and for the opportunity to spend time just hanging out and talking with everyone. In fact, the event was…

If you’ve been keeping up with my last few posts, you know I’m hosting my most unique and unusual event ever this weekend. My Trunk Show and Open House will take place at my studio this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Items for sale will include everything from originals, prints, and gifts to one-of-a-kind pieces, including some of my “oddities.” Friday Preview Night (October 26th) will run from 7 to 9 pm and will feature 20% off everything in the show – INCLUDING ORIGINALS! – except “Super Savers.” On Incentive Saturday (October 27th) from 10AM to 3PM, I’m offering percentage discounts – the more you spend, the greater the savings. Sunday (October 28th)…

I’m super excited about the special event I’m hosting this weekend – because it’s going to be my most unique and unusual event ever! My very first Studio Trunk Show and Open House will take place right here at my home studio on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 26th through 28th. Items for sale will include everything from originals, prints, and gifts to one-of-a-kind pieces, including some of my “oddities.” Here are the highlights: Friday Night, October 26th, is Preview Night. From 7pm – 9pm, attendees will get 20% off everything at the show – Including Originals (I’ve never done this before!) – except “Super Savers.” Saturday, October 27th is…

Have you ever been to Fort Ligonier Days? Fort Ligonier Days is one of my very favorite shows of the year, especially with the beauty of the fall landscape and the wonderful people who always come to this event. It’s a fantastic all-day experience with great food and music, historical re-enactments… and of course, the finest art and gifts! It looks like the weather on Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be perfect for a day trip out to the country. I’ll be in Booths #16-17 in the Loyalhanna Lot located off South Market Street behind the fort. The show runs October 12th through 14th from 9 to 6 on Friday…

Every week I write an email to reach out to you and give you a glimpse of what is going on with my life, my art, and my dreams. So you know that this 2018 has been a year of great change for our family. With the birth of the twins, my son-in-law beginning a new job, and my oldest daughter starting a new career, we’ve been through so many transitions. The Barnicotts are in a very different place than we were last year in a lot of ways. But there’s one thing I’m looking forward to, something that I…

It’s that time of year again… Last week’s Covered Bridge Festival was the official kick-off of my 2018 show season. My fall schedule is already packed, including two shows coming up in the next week. First up – this weekend I’ll be at the Mt. Lebanon Artists’ Market, a wonderful upscale arts festival, on Saturday and Sunday, September 22nd and 23rd. The Artists’ Market takes place in the Mt. Lebanon Business District at Washington Rd. and Academy Ave. I may even bring an original or two for sale! Then on Thursday night (September 27th) from 7 to 9 pm, I will be part…

I have a title!!!! After much thought and collaboration with Tom and close friends, I settled on something short and sweet, but one that says it all – “Dear Santa.” Tom also proposed the subtitle “Letters from a Child’s Heart,” but we decided to keep it simple. As I promised last week, I want to show you some of the things I’ve included in the painting that have a special meaning or symbolism for me. As I was designing the painting, my first thoughts were that I wanted a living-room setting. Santa liked the idea of looking directly at the viewer while holding…