I’m back in the States now, basking in the glow of the wonderful memories we made in the last two weeks. This was my first trip abroad, and it was everything I hoped it would be. Tom and I were on our own (not with a tour), so we did a lot of exploring on our own to get a real taste of both England and France in the short time we were there. The architecture was spectacular, and the food was delicious! But Tom and I agreed that the best part was getting to know some of the people…

During all those long, cold days at the Holiday Market, Tom and the girls and I had a lot of time to talk and dream dreams together. One topic that came up was travel. My oldest daughter Brittany and her friend have taken several memorable trips to Europe, and on a whim, I asked if they could find one that we might like…  and they did! A very reasonably priced trip, in fact. So now Tom and I are leaving for a two-week European adventure in London and Paris!  I am SO EXCITED! We had always dreamed of visiting England,…

Happy New Year! Here we are in 2023 with a whole new year ahead of us. I plan to do a lot of dreaming, planning, sketching, and painting. This year, I’ll be creating both commission work and fun Pittsburgh-themed paintings, and who knows… maybe even a new Santa painting for the holidays? I can’t wait to see what this year will bring. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were so beautiful this year! As you may know, the Holiday Market closed two days early because of the frigid weather. This gave us a couple of “bonus days” for more Christmas activities,…

Right now, I’m sitting here taking a break from decking the halls at the Barnicott Studio and Art Gallery (aka my home). As we decorate and light our Christmas tree, I’m wondering (like I do every year!) how the season has passed by so quickly. I’m humming “Silent Night” and basking in Christmas joy. This week was, in some ways, a tough one. I started to feel like I was in the movie “Groundhog Day” – like I was living the same day, over and over. And did I mention I was tired? I even woke up one morning and told Tom that I felt like…

Happy Thanksgiving! First off, I want to express from the bottom of my heart the gratitude I have for all of you. It’s so fulfilling when I hear that you read my newsletters and follow me here and on social media. Being a minister’s wife, community has always been so important to me. I just hope that my art – and my antics – bring you joy every now and then. So to say “Thanks for Everything” this holiday weekend, I came up with some exclusive offers, just for you, my loyal readers. Because not everyone can make it downtown to see…

I need to hydrate and get some sleep while I can, because my 2022 Holiday Marathon officially begins this weekend! First, my final indoor show for the year is this Saturday, November 12th.   (You know, the show before the one where I remain perpetually cold for five weeks?) I’ll be selling at the Bethel Presbyterian Church for a holiday vendor show from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The church is located at 2999 Bethel Church Rd, Bethel Park 15102. I hope you’ll come visit me! I’ve added many cool gift options for my new-for-2022 paintings, and I’ll be fully stocked on Saturday with all my new ornaments, magnets, and…

Remember how last year I sent out a survey asking my newsletter readers to let me know what kinds of gifts you would like to see featuring my artwork? Well, I then started diligently researching gifts that I could stand behind. I looked for items that were unique and well made, with vibrant colors, both fun and functional (because that’s just how I roll!). In the end, I approved four new products that are now for sale on my website. They’re made to order, so please note the must-buy date to make sure you get them in time for the…

So after a whirlwind weekend creating last week’s new release, “Santa’s Merry Wink,” did I take a break from the studio? No! Instead, I turned my sights to a new painting for Fort Ligonier Days. Of course, there’s a story here to be told! Last year at the Holiday Market in Market Square, I struck up a conversation with a gentleman where the topic turned to Fort Ligonier Days. I mentioned that I had been set up in the Loyalhanna Lot for over a decade, where I enjoyed listening to the reenactments and visiting with several of the participants in their “really put-together”…

No one has ever accused me of being an overachiever before, but I think I may be in danger of becoming one this year. Though I just released my latest painting, “Santa’s Favorite Toy Store,” it gave me an idea for another new painting that I couldn’t get out of my head. So I went right back into the studio. As you know, I put our famous Santa in toy form in the S.W. Randall display window in “Santa’s Favorite Toy Store.” So I started thinking… “Why not do one more Jolly Old Elf painting?” Well, last week, I rang up Santa…

Introducing my new painting — “Santa’s Favorite Toy Store,”!  I’ve created a limited edition of just 50 special Artist-Enhanced Giclee prints. These are much larger than the open-edition Giclée, and they will be hand-enhanced with my soft pastels, just like the original. I will highlight numerous areas in the painting to make it look much more like the original. Each one will be uniquely beautiful, each one an original in itself. I will have one framed Artist-Enhanced Giclée this weekend at the Mt. Lebanon Artist Market in the Academy Parking Lot behind The Saloon, across from the Rolliers Hardware parking lot…