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…

First and foremost, I want to thank you all for your prayers for my husband Tom. We were a little concerned last weekend and into the beginning of this week, but eventually he turned the corner and is recovering nicely. Now that he’s finally starting to feel better, I’ve picked up my paintbrush again to work on the next painting in my “Jolly Old Elf” series – “Santa’s Joyride” – and I’d love to share it with you. Ever wonder how Santa gets around after he parks the sleigh for the season? Here’s the final sketch before the painting began……

Another week has flown by, and the weekend has come again. And because it’s Fall festival season, that means it’s time for another show. Whenever I have an event, I’m generally up and raring to go, but this week I may have a little less enthusiasm than usual. My husband Tom has been feeling pretty ill lately, and it looks like he may have pneumonia. He is getting a chest x-ray today, so we’ll know more soon. Obviously, my mind and my heart aren’t fully focused on my work right now, but as always, “the show must go on,” and…

I love multitasking, though it’s not always easy. I like that sense of accomplishment from getting two things done at the same time. Which is why it makes perfect sense for you to come visit me this weekend at one of my favorite shows of the season! I can’t think of a better way to reap the benefits of multitasking than by enjoying a fun country outing on a beautiful fall day – while at the same time wisely snapping up some great holiday gifts. I’ll be exhibiting this weekend with a full selection of my prints and giftware at…

I have been on Cloud Nine all this week, getting to know our little Aria Grace and mastering this grandma thing. I want to thank you all for the multitude of replies I received from so many of you after last week’s newsletter. They truly touched my heart! All of your good wishes were deeply appreciated. But as nice as it is to stay in our little family bubble, life goes on. As we look ahead to next weekend, I wanted to let you know I’ll be exhibiting at the Washington County Covered Bridge Festival in Mingo Creek County Park.…

That’s right – I became a grandmother this week! And I have a feeling we’ll be telling the story of the events leading up to Aria’s birth for many years to come… It all started at the Shadyside Arts Festival, which definitely didn’t turn out quite the way we expected this year! We were having a great weekend of sunny (though very warm) weather at the festival. It was really terrific! Sales were brisk all weekend, especially for my new paintings. (In fact, I want to thank all of you who came down to the show and visited my booth!)…

Wow! I have so much to tell you about this week! I’ve gone multimedia! This week you can see me 1) on TV, 2) in print, and 3) at a live show! First of all, I was on KDKA Pittsburgh Today Live with Kristine Sorensen on Monday. What a fun experience that was! Follow the link below to see a video of me in action! http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/show/pittsburgh-today-live/video-3451243-shadyside-arts-festival-returns-this-weekend/ I was also interviewed for an article that appeared in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on Friday, August 26th. It is a big article about the 20th Anniversary of the Shadyside Arts Festival. The Shadyside Arts…