Ho Ho Ho! And a Very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all! I’m sure it comes as no surprise, but this is my favorite time of year. One of the things I love most about the holidays is how we come together and celebrate with family, friends, and colleagues. Here at my chalet downtown in Market Square, I’m meeting not only my faithful customers and readers, but amazing people from around the world as well. It’s rich and uplifting, and I’m loving it! In the midst of all this good cheer, festive decor, and lovely music, I realized something…

Can you believe it is December already? Where has this year gone to? They say time seems to pass more quickly when life is busy, and that has certainly been the case for the Barnicotts this year! The biggest event for us, of course, was the birth of little Aria Grace, our first grandchild – already 3 months old. Talk about time passing quickly! She’s just a perfect little person, and her smiles will melt your heart. It seems like she grows and changes every day (it’s really fun to watch how she’s begun to imitate everyone she sees). I’m…

I hope you’re having a wonderful Thanksgiving Day, happy and blessed, visiting, entertaining, feasting, or just relaxing with family and friends. But don’t forget to rest up for the big shopping weekend to come – Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday are all close at hand! Today I’m enjoying my only day off between Light-Up Night and Christmas Eve, and I’ll be back at the Chalet in Market Square, braving the cold tomorrow and every day for the next month. But I’m not complaining… I love being part of the festivities and excitement at the Holiday Market, and…

With a jolly Ho-Ho-Ho! Ready or not, it’s Showtime in Market Square! My elves and I have been working nonstop this week. We’ve had a blast setting up everything and putting together my wooden Alpine Chalet for the 2016 People’s Gas Holiday Market in Market Square. We tried some different things this year with my booth near the stage. This year we’re trying a brand new look and easier access to my art and gifts. With lots of new paintings and gifts adorning the Chalet, finding your holiday gift purchases will be fun! So everything’s in place… the Chalet is…

Wow! Another crazy week here in and around my studio. Though it’s definitely exhausting, I love the “busy-ness” of this time of year with shows galore and orders pouring in. And though it seems like we just put away our Halloween décor, next week begins my end-of-the-year marathon at the Peoples Gas Holiday Market in Market Square! In fact, I will be having a soft opening from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, November 17th… then of course I’ll be there every day (except Thanksgiving) right up until December 23rd. CLICK HERE to view my Calendar of Events and find…

On Halloween night, Tom and I spent the evening outside, greeting the little children and passing out treats. I told Tom that breathing in the crisp, clear air on that chilly autumn evening reminded me of how it feels to be in my Chalet in Market Square. It also started me thinking about one of my favorite things about November and December – getting out of the studio, renewing old friendships and creating new ones. Definitely the “second-best” part of being an artist. My face-to-face encounters with all of you are what give me such joy at this time of…

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…