And not only is it Fall, but it’s just 90 days until Christmas!

In the stores, Halloween props and costumes are already being pushed out by Holiday decorations. And Thanksgiving is only 62 days away, with football and feasting on the menu!

Speaking of football…I am thrilled to announce the release of my brand new “Pittsburgh Loves the Black and Gold!” T-Shirts! We picked them up today, and  as you can see above, Tom was kind enough to model one for me! They will be available this weekend at the Mount Lebanon Artist Market (Saturday & Sunday 10AM-5PM)! 

After weeks of preparation, I’ve finally finished the sketch for my 2026 project, “Our Lady of Liberty.” I’m releasing a limited edition of 250 prints celebrating our country’s 250th birthday next year. The prints themselves will be sold directly through Bethel Park Fantastic Four charities. (The group includes the Bethel Park Community Foundation, Bethel Park Education Foundation, Bethel Park Public Library, and Bethel Park Historical Society.)

Andy Amrhein founded the Fantastic Four Charities group to combine the resources of the individual charities to help make Bethel Park a great place to live. They now have a very dynamic group of residents who love their community and enjoy working to make it even better. Their goal is to help the Bethel Park community and our state of Pennsylvania celebrate the rich history of our country.

More details will follow, but for the next few weeks, I would love to share my painting process with you. I look forward to any comments you can offer along this journey.

Have a great week and I hope to see you in Mt. Lebanon if you are in the area.

Best always,

Linda

PS – Some items are only available in person at one of my shows or over the phone, but there are plenty of ideas on my recently updated website. Check it out for gift-giving ideas this upcoming holiday season!

www.lindabarnicott.com

Guess where I’m writing from this week? I’m on a train, coming home from visiting with my dearest and oldest friends, Kathy and Ron, in New Jersey.

When I was a child, my family spent just about every weekend from April until September on our boats on Barnegat Bay. On our first outing on our boat, “The Gibson Girl,” we had engine trouble. My mom was very concerned while my dad was trying to fix the engine and asked him if she should call for help. My dad said no and that he had this. She immediately walked over to the port (left) side of the cabin cruiser and started yelling “HELP!” as loud as she could.

And that was when I met Ron and his family. I was 9. Fast forward through ten years of friendship, when after three tries, I was able to introduce him to my friend Kathy while Tom (at the time, my fiancé!) was visiting from Pittsburgh. Now 45 years later, they have the great blessing of being able to live on their sailboat full time… and I got a chance to go sailing this weekend!

When I was a kid, I would return home from a weekend at the shore ready and rested for the week ahead. Mornings and evenings on the boat were always my favorite. Calm and beautifully lit nature pumped life into my creative soul. I’m glad to say nothing has changed!

Tom is keeping the home fires burning just a few hours away, and I can’t wait to see him. This time of year is so busy, with our weekends devoted to vending shows. At least we get to spend a lot of time together!

Though I know we’re not at the shore together, and though it’s a lot of work, it’s work we both enjoy, and it’s the place we want to be. Our time is spent creating together, building our booth so that it looks just right. It’s always a challenge, as we adapt it a bit differently for each show’s personality.  We love sharing my work with others and hearing many stories. We love this shared experience. And sunrise before the shows and sunsets in the evening hours are truly “Pittsburgh Beautiful.”

So… what’s up for the rest of September? 

First, we’ll be at the Washington and Greene Counties Covered Bridge Festival on Saturday and Sunday, September 20th and 21st.  It’s a beautiful show in a beautiful setting. We’ll be located at Ebenezer Bridge in Mingo Park with our set-up under a huge tree just past the bridge on the left side. This festival is a cash-only show because we’re down in a gully and can’t get a proper signal.

Then the following weekend (September 27th and 28th) we’ll be at the Mount Lebanon Artist Market, a true art show, featuring both 2D and 3D art pieces. This show is located on Academy Lane in Mt. Lebanon behind Rollier’s Hardware.

In other news, while I was gone, my new puzzles came! Poor Tom had to carry all the cases of puzzles by himself to storage for the season. The great news is they will be available at both shows!

The upcoming weeks will be super busy from here on out, especially because I’ll be painting as well as exhibiting at art shows. It’s a very fun time of year!

I’m really glad I had this chance to return to my childhood home for five glorious days. Now I’m back in the studio, energized and ready to get back to painting. I’ve lived a Pittsburgh life for almost 45 years now, and though the Monongahela River isn’t exactly the Jersey Shore, Pittsburgh is still the most wonderful place on earth.

Thank you, Pittsburgh, for giving me so many reasons to paint you. And thank you, Tom, for stealing me away.

Have a great week, and stop and see me if you visit the Ebenezer Bridge this weekend!

I’m exhibiting at a brand new show this Saturday! It’s a celebration of Pittsburgh called “412 Fest” (referring to our Pittsburgh 412 area code).

The festival will be held at Bakery Square in East Liberty on Saturday, April 12 (4/12 – get it?). If you live nearby or happen to be in the East End that day, I would love to have you stop by and say hi. We’ll be there from noon until 4 pm, with lots of ideas for birthday or anniversary gifts (or maybe just to treat yourself!). We can’t wait to participate in what looks like a really fun event!

As I come close to finishing my new painting of Dublin, Ireland, I’ve shared some of the process with you, with even more on my Facebook page. I had so many wonderful comments in the last week, but Shawna’s comment stood out from the rest because it was so unique. It also captured the essence of why I’m painting this new International Series.

Shawna has agreed to let me share her comment about the unfinished painting with you:

“This is beautiful, and honestly I love it just like this. Unfinished, it reminds me of planning a vacation in my mind (the sketch) and then the actual experience (the full color completion).”

Creating this painting has been a joyful experience. As it comes together, I’m enjoying the interplay of colors, energy, and light.  I hope you’re enjoying a peek into the process!

Will I see you on Saturday? I sure hope so!

P.S. – Here’s the 412 Fest schedule!

My husband and I have always dreamed of travel. As a kid, I was very blessed to have parents who had boats and sailing vessels that I enjoyed every weekend until I married and moved to Pittsburgh. Tom didn’t have many opportunities to travel with his family, and when we got married, we dreamed of seeing the country together.

Each year after a hectic holiday season (especially the Holiday Market in Downtown Pittsburgh), we’d take a January trip to escape from the cold. All we could think about was getting away to a warm southern climate. As a result of all that traveling, Tom and I have been to 49 of the 50 states, some with our children, and some on our own. We achieved that milestone a couple of years ago, with only Alaska left to check off our list.

Two years ago, we were researching airfares to Southern California and were surprised to find that it would actually be less expensive in January to fly to Europe. We had always talked about traveling abroad. I even had booked a trip once and cancelled it before we got too serious. But this time, I managed to work past my nerves, and we flew to London and Paris, albeit for just a few days in each city. It was still cold there… but we were in Europe, which made it all worth it!

Now we’re totally addicted to traveling “across the pond.” So this year, I felt inspired to start an International Series of paintings from each of the countries we’ve visited so far. My hope is that these paintings may bring back memories for people who have traveled there, or to anyone for whom visiting those countries would be a dream of their own.

Having completed and published my Portugal rock and beach painting, “Along the Algarve Beach,” I’m currently working on my second international painting. It’s a unique rendering of the popular Temple Bar neighborhood in Dublin, Ireland.

I only took one photograph in Temple Bar, but it ended up being very inspirational. Here are the first few photographs of my creative process. Don’t jump to conclusions yet! In my mind, I can visualize the finished painting, so just hang in there with me.

I don’t have a title for it yet, and I’m not sure how long it will take me to paint, but I hope you enjoy the journey with me to this charming, delightful Irish neighborhood.

But wait, there’s more!  In addition to introducing my new series, I have another announcement…

You can now order my new collection of Brass Pins online from my website. These beautiful pins are perfect for lapels, hats, purses, backpacks, and straps, plus any other creative ways you may come up with to showcase them. The first four designs in the collection include the Horne’s Tree, PPG in the Skating Rink, My Hometown (with the Incline), and for all of you Santa lovers, “Here comes Santa’s Jolly Trolley!” You can purchase these unique and colorful pins for $15 each on my website here. Have fun collecting!

With the successful completion of another Pittsburgh Home and Garden Show, I want to say thanks to my crazy helpers! I wish I had a photo with all of you, but THANK YOU! Shows are awfully taxing when setting up and tearing down, but my helpers always make the job so enjoyable!

This morning, I was on the phone with a dear artist friend who seemed to be having trouble getting back to the studio. We were talking about how to get inspired, and I suggested she try one of my old tricks – hanging out in her art studio and not leaving until eventually the watercolors will call out to her to start painting. This was the exact advice I was given by my sister years ago when I was stuck in an art desert. I also suggested that she “just paint something,” like I did after Portugal (I painted a rock!) – my friend replied, “I love that rock!”

“Along the Argarve Beach” was my return to painting after the big season in Market Square and our adventure in Portugal. I was inspired to paint the piece by the beauty of the light playing on the surface of the rock and the reflection in the water as the waves broke upon it.

Sometimes inspiration comes to me just from sitting down to write this blog every week!  In fact, just today while looking at Tom’s phone for blogworthy photos, I came across one of our three granddaughters gazing at the city from the West End Overlook. I saw myself in those girls and thought, “I wonder if they’re seeing what I’ve always seen from that view – the beauty of our hometown?”

Pittsburgh has given me years of painting opportunities and stories to tell! I’m not sure what this year holds for me artistically, but I am wide open to the endless possibilities.

Change is in the air, and I’m ready for it! Have a great week!

This week, I have some exciting news to share with you – I sold an original!!!

It’s always a joyous time when I know that one of my paintings is going to a happy home, and it’s not unusual at all to find out that one of my pieces has deeply touched the heart of its buyer. But this one is a bit different; it was a very emotional experience for me.

With the ongoing situation in Ukraine, my painting, “Unbroken – The Heart of Ukraine,” has been on my mind lately. It’s been nearly three years since I painted the pastel. All the profits from the initial release of the print at that time went directly to two organizations to support Ukrainian children. Thanks to many of you, we were able to send over $2000.00.

After seeing the response to the original this week, I’ve decided to re-release the print. Unfortunately, I’m not able to do the charity project this time, but it does seem to be a good time for a gentle reminder of the strength and determination of the Ukrainian people.

My collector asked me, “What made you paint it?” I turned it over in my mind for a while as I lay awake last night, and this is how I replied…

It was in the spring of the first year of the war. Like everyone else, my heart was breaking for the Ukrainian people as I listened to their stories. I was in awe of the courage and strength they displayed every day to defend their country.

Young couples saying goodbye as they parted… mothers and children fleeing while their husbands and sons stayed to fight.
It was a raw moment, but their determination and their dedication to what they believed in inspired me. I just had to do something. Some musically gifted Americans wrote songs, so I thought, “Why not use my art?”

But how would I represent Ukraine on canvas? As I sat in stopped traffic near the Liberty Bridge one day, I googled “sunflowers,” (Ukraine’s national flower) and came across the heart-shaped ones. I thought of the colors of the Ukrainian flag, blue and yellow, and the painting began to take shape in my mind. I saw these heart-shaped sunflowers representing Ukraine, with a dewdrop in the shape of a tear to symbolize the sorrow and the loss. Of course, the sunflowers weren’t alone. Just like the Ukrainian people, they stand proud and defiant together

When I pulled into my driveway, Tom was sitting on the porch. I couldn’t wait to get out of the car and tell him my idea. I literally sat down that night and started to paint, and I finished it late the next day. Whenever I flow like that, the paintings practically paint themselves. I truly am just a vessel!

Needless to say, I will have 9” x 12” prints available at the Pittsburgh Home and Garden Show at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center from March 7th through the 16th.

I will also have a new painting that I will announce soon! 

Can it be spring yet? Please? I don’t know about you, but I was born in April and I am definitely a spring baby. Well, maybe not a baby anymore! This year I’ll be 67, but being blessed to live in Pennsylvania, I have enjoyed spring every year since I was born. With just two weeks until the Pittsburgh Home and Garden Show begins, I’m super excited about seeing and smelling spring flowers again… admiring beautiful landscaping… meeting first-timer visitors to the show… and of course, introducing my art to newcomers and creating new relationships.

As I prepare for my 28th year at the Pittsburgh Home and Garden Show, I am delighted to introduce a new international series that will start with a very modest new painting, “Along the Algarve, Portugal.” This new 9” x 12” open-edition print will be available at the show and also online at https://lindabarnicott.com/product/along-the-algarve-beach-portugal/. Though it’s an open edition, I will only have a limited number available at my booth (#3146-8)… so come early! This piece is a perfect gift for anyone who has traveled to Portugal and would love a memory of the beautiful beaches and ever-changing weather. It would also fit beautifully into an ocean-themed décor!

The original is currently being framed in a neutral top mat and an accent bottom mat, showcased in a beautiful white gold frame with a brass title plate. You can see it at the show, and it will be available for purchase.

I can’t reveal the details just yet, but there’s another new piece that will be unveiled at the show. Remember how I said I was working on a painting that I couldn’t talk about? Well, it’s ready now and will be presented at the show with prints available. Stay tuned!

It’s been quite a busy week. I was hoping to have a small painting from Portugal to share with you, but as John Lennon once said, “life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” But I’m almost there with the piece, so stay tuned…

In the meantime, I’ve been starting to prepare for my next and oldest show. That’s right – The Pittsburgh Home and Garden Show, Pittsburgh’s traditional first sign of spring –  is just around the corner. This will be my 28th year as an exhibitor at the show, so at this point, The Home and Garden Show feels like an old friend. I’ve met many of you there, and you have enriched my life.

In that time, I’ve upgraded from a single booth to a double booth at the beginning of the Art aisle and expanded from having just a few paintings to more paintings then I can display at once.

I’ve seen a lot in my 28 years at this particular show:  Dream Houses, Ferris Wheels, a Cessna plane, Princess Diana’s dresses, and an indoor ice rink, to name just a few.  This year I’m excited to share with you that there will be a Model Home built inside the Convention Center itself! I’ll be there with a collection of my art and gifts to decorate or to share, as well as pieces of my original art – something I rarely bring from my home studio.

Have a great week!

So here we are back in Pittsburgh… we’re happy to be home again, but we’re not exactly sad that we missed the sub-zero weather. Portugal was a beautiful place – lots of mountains, lots of fruit trees, lots of ocean, and some of the nicest people!  I hope you enjoy a few of our favorite vacation pics.

Our overseas trips have inspired me to create a series of paintings, one from each country we’ve visited. It will be really hard to choose just one subject!

Currently, I’m painting a small seascape. One day, we were walking on the beach between storms. The air and breeze were absolutely perfect. The skies were dark to our right, and the sun was shining in front of us. On the beach were several large rocks that had shells all through them. The sun was hitting this particular rock, and the waves would gently come right up to the edge of it. As the wave receded, the sand glistened for one glorious moment before the water sank into the sand, leaving a perfect reflection. I hope I can do it justice with my pastels.

As I mentioned last week, we had a lot of rain on our trip. We sometimes misjudged the weather and ended up getting soaked to the skin. Funny thing about some of these countries we’ve visited – they don’t have dryers! It took two days under the heater vent to get our clothes dry again.

Now that we’re back, life is back to being busy. This is the beginning of my painting season, and in just another week or two, I’ll be getting ready for my next big show – The Pittsburgh Home and Garden Show, running from March 7th to the 16th this year.

Have a great week!

It looks like we picked the perfect time to travel to escape from the Pittsburgh cold and snow! Though the weather forecast here says today may be our last sunny day on this trip, it’s so much warmer and quite beautiful here. I don’t understand a word of Portuguese, but the language sounds beautiful to my ears. Nearly everyone we have interacted with does understand and speak English, so we’ve been very fortunate.

Tom and I spent two days in Sintra, a romantic old world town just north of Lisbon. Last night and this morning we spent time in Nazaré, a beach town which is also north of Lisbon along the coast.  Both places have done wonders in reenergizing our minds and bodies.

We’re currently on a bus, traveling through the countryside, headed for our week-long stay in Albufeira in the south of Portugal. Our view from the window is nothing but lush olive trees as far as the eye can see!

I haven’t written to you about my health issue that I’ve been experiencing since the summer, but I’d like to share it now. I had been experiencing mold sickness from black mold found in our home. It’s been a long journey to get the remediation done in our home and to detox the mold from my body. It had become quite debilitating, with inflammation causing me to lose a knuckle on my right hand (thank heavens I’m left handed!). It also messed with my body chemistry.

Long story short, in addition to the supplements and saunas, I’ve been on an extremely strict diet since late September. When I saw the doc right before my trip, he gave me the green light to eat whatever I’d like in Portugal. Food tastes so much better after being on such a limited diet!

Maybe I should paint a food series this year? In fact, I’ve been thinking about painting Isaly’s. Any thoughts? I’d love to hear from you, especially if you have photos you can share! I know by the time we return home, I’ll be itching to paint again.

Take care, my friends!