Ho-Ho-Ho – It’s Linda!

Every day for the last few weeks I’ve had the same routine. I wake up, and I dress in my warmest clothing. Then I head off to the Holiday Market in Market Square, where I get to hang out all day at my little Chalet full of art and gifts… and I love every minute of it!

One of the best parts of the Holiday Market is that every day I have the privilege of meeting fascinating people from all walks of life. My smile could not be any bigger as we share stories and talk about Pittsburgh. Many out-of-town visitors tell me that they see our town as a mini-New York – we have the culture without the congestion!

So today I was reminded of that song from The Sound of Music as I sit here surrounded by a chalet-full of my favorite pieces, large and small: ornaments, magnets, coasters, mint trays, sandwich trays, bookmarks, key chains, candles, note cards, Christmas cards, mini prints and framed prints. These are (more than) a few of my favorite things!

One of the newer items here at the Chalet this year is my Wendell August Forge Sandwich Trays. Each one is handmade at the Forge. They’re dishwasher safe, scratch resistant and fade resistant. They’re very durable and lightweight – perfect for shipping to faraway friends and family. Just put them in a bubble envelope, and they will arrive in perfect condition. Check them out on my website athttps://lindabarnicott.com/product-category/sandwich-trays/.

The deadline for guaranteed Christmas delivery via US Postal Service shipping is noon on the 20th of December. So this is the last week to order online!

Some items are beginning to sell out, and inventory will not be replenished until the new year, so if you have a particular gift item or print in mind, everything is available while supplies last on a first-come, first-served basis.

And of course, I’ll be at the Holiday Market through the night of Saturday, December 23rd. I would be happy to be of service to you and help brighten your holiday season with Pittsburgh memories!

Happy Holidays to All!

It’s been an exciting week at the Chalet in Market Square! At last, the weather is changing to something more like winter, so it feels more like Holiday Time. I’m not a fan of cold weather myself, but that just means adding a few layers of clothing and cranking up the new heaters that have been doing such a great job of warming up my chalet this year.

I’ve noticed this week that some folks are just getting started on their holiday shopping, while others, believe it or not, are finishing up. They’re well ahead of me, that’s for sure!

Another thing I’ve noticed is that I’ve been selling a lot of note cards, Christmas cards, and especially ornaments. Many of my customers tell me they’re buying ornaments for family gift exchanges, ornament exchanges, grab-bag gifts, and Secret Santa presents.

So whether you’re just starting your holiday shopping (like me!) or literally wrapping it up — stop down and see me for a great selection of artful Pittsburgh items for everyone on your list.

Can’t wait to see you this weekend in Market Square!

No snow yet, but it’s definitely beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Market Square – especially at the fabulous Linda Barnicott Double-Wide Chalet!

My first special visitor this week was Santa himself, who took a break from his busy seasonal schedule to stop by, admire his paintings, and wish me a Merry Christmas!

Santa loves my newest painting in the Jolly Old Elf series, “All Aboard with Santa.” He says it makes him feel like a kid again!

“All Aboard with Santa” is available as a limited edition giclee print, but it also comes in all sorts of giftware as well, including mini prints, Christmas cards, an ornament, and a magnet.

And Santa wasn’t my only special visitor this week!

Aria, my littlest helper, stopped by to see if she could give Grandma a hand. She looks very small next to my super-sized chalet! I’m so glad I upgraded to the Double-Wide this year. I love having all this extra space – not only do we have room to move around, but we have double the inventory to show you.

So if you come visit me at my Market Square Chalet, you’ll find plenty of holiday art and gift ideas to choose from. If you happen to be downtown or have the opportunity to stop by, I would love to see you and wish you the best for the holidays.

And while you’re in town, take a detour over to the Heinz History Center and see their gorgeous new holiday exhibit, “A Very Merry Pittsburgh.” It’s a delightful walk down Memory Lane that reminds us of Kaufmann’s dazzling holiday display windows and many other wonderful Pittsburgh holiday traditions of years gone by. I am thrilled and honored to see that they’re using my painting to promote the exhibit.

Can’t make it to Market Square? That’s okay – you can shop on your own schedule at my beautiful new website.

I’m writing this to you late Wednesday night as we’ve just finished setting up my Holiday Market Chalet down in Market Square. Tom took this photo of me decking the walls earlier this week. We’re pretty worn out… not only have we been decorating, but we’ve also been stocking the Chalet with a ton of inventory for the coming 36 days.

I can hardly wait for the Holiday Market to get started! My new Chalet is bigger and better than last year’s – actually DOUBLE the size! If you’ve visited me at the Holiday Market in Market Square in the past few years, you can find me in the same general area. I’m now on the end near the walkway to the PPG Plaza skating rink.

Because Friday officially kicks off the Holiday Season in Pittsburgh, because it’s Light-Up Night Weekend, and because it’s the first weekend of the show, I’m really in the holiday mood!

Get a jump on your holiday shopping with art from Linda Barnicott Prints and Gifts!

Wishing you a festive Light-Up Night and a Happy Thanksgiving!

P.S. – I also managed to sneak in an appearance at The Gather Shop in Sewickley last night. One of my pieces will be highlighted in next month’s TABLE Magazine, and they were throwing a party. If you’re in the neighborhood, stop by and check out some of my giftware!

P.P.S. – Today I was honored at the Heinz History Center for my painting “Waiting For You Under Kaufmann’s Clock.” Their new exhibit, “A Very Merry Pittsburgh,” is not to be missed!

I know it’s not even Thanksgiving yet, but if I don’t at least get my decorating started before the Pittsburgh Holiday Market starts next Thursday, there’s no way I’ll get it done in time for Christmas. (Don’t judge! Costco’s been ready for Christmas for at least a month already.)

Following the hanging of my original painting “All Aboard with Santa” over my mantel the other day, I got inspired to keep going. Tom and I put on holiday music and began to deck the halls! For the first time in a long while, we have to keep the decorations up high – my little granddaughter is about to start walking, and she’s very inquisitive. As she gets more confident, nothing below waist level will be safe!

I’ve also been making a list (of inventory) and checking it twice, gathering together as many of my stock items as possible and getting ready for the holiday shows coming up. (Don’t forget to shop early for best selection!).  My show schedule is always available on my website, www.lindabarnicott.com .

Looks like a busy week ahead:

• Tomorrow (Friday, November 10^th) I will be at Laurie’s Hallmark on the second floor at Fifth Avenue Place for Lunch with Santa from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• On Saturday, November 11^th, I’ll be at the Bethel Presbyterian Church Holiday-A- Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The church is located at 2999 Bethel Church Rd in Bethel Park. This was a terrific show last year, and I’m really looking forward to it this weekend.
• Then comes the BIG ONE…  next Thursday (November 16^th) at 4 p.m., I’ll be open for business at my chalet at the Holiday Market in Market Square in Downtown Pittsburgh. The hours for Thursday’s soft opening are 4 to 8 p.m.

After Thursday, we will open every day except Thanksgiving at 11 a.m. You’ll know me because I’m the one with four layers of winter clothing, gratefully accepting donations of hot cocoa from random passersby…

As I embark upon another holiday season, I’m reminded of how grateful I am for all of you and that my art has touched so many hearts. Just listening to the stories of my customers at the John McMillan Church Christmas Affair last weekend truly warmed my soul.

I hope that in this holiday season I can somehow be of service to you.

P.S. –  Original of the Month: “Holiday Season on Grant Street”

This original pastel has always been one of my favorite paintings, and I’m happy to have it hanging on my wall until it finds a happy home.

When I developed the composition on this painting, I did what only an artist can do – I moved the nativity scene closer to Grant Street so the viewer can get a better look at it. You may also notice that the First Lutheran Church and the US Steel Tower are a lot closer together than they are in real life!

To capture the beauty of the church’s stained glass windows, I actually went inside the church during the day and snapped a few photos so I could reproduce those colors in the painting. I wanted to show the church lit up at night with light shining through the windows.

One day I visited the church with my partially finished pastel original in a cardboard box, and of course, the skies opened up, and there was such a downpour that Grant Street was flooded. The minister thoughtfully looked all over the church for a large trash bag that the box would fit in so as to not get this precious painting wet. I’m still very grateful for his act of kindness!

The original pastel painting “Holiday Season on Grant Street” is double matted with a wooden filet (extra wooden frame inside between the mats) and museum glass.  Let me know if you’re interested in investing in original art that will last for generations – just call 1-888-748-8278 or email me at info@lindabarnicott.com.

Though the pumpkins are still being carved and the candy is still uneaten, those of us whose businesses are busiest in the holiday season are already hard at work.

The fall shows have begun, and I’m getting excited! It seems like every day there are decisions to be made, inventory to stock up on, orders to be filled, and generally preparing for the next two frantic months. For people like me in the art and gifts business, as far as we’re concerned, the holidays are already here!

As I have been planning ahead for the upcoming rush on giftware items that will begin soon, I realized something very important. It takes the North Pole a long time to create the ornaments and other pieces I’m ordering. That’s because most of my giftware is handmade, and there are lots of styles and shapes with my paintings on them.

Every Linda Barnicott art gift is locally made and packaged with love and dedication.

My elves are always telling me how much work goes into each ornament, bookmark, and key chain. My Wendell August Forge aluminum ornaments are each individually hammered (on a real anvil!), punched, and polished. Then there are the trays and coasters – each one cut and polished to perfection. And of course, candles are being poured, prints being cut to size, and note cards and Christmas cards are being placed in beautiful boxes.

What’s the moral of this story? It’s important to buy early so you get exactly the gifts you want for the holidays. So plan ahead for those office parties and customer Thank You gifts, and remember your family early this year. If you put it in the instructions when you order, I will be happy to sign your gift purchase. Order anytime from my beautiful new website – www.LindaBarnicott.com.

I hope you’ll come see me at my shows this fall and downtown at the 2017 Holiday Market beginning Friday, November 17^th – but the sooner the better!

Can you believe that next week they’ll be starting to build the wooden Chalets in Market Square? The holidays will be here before we know it, and it pays to plan ahead.

P.S. – Don’t forget, there’s no time like the present to invest in an original pastel painting!

October’s Original Painting of the Month is “Game Time at Heinz Field.”

If you’ve ever seen one of my originals, you know it has a very different look from the prints. The pastels almost seem to sparkle, especially under holiday lights.

“Game Time at Heinz Field” is a historical painting. Can you imagine what Heinz Field and Pittsburgh might look like 100 years from now?

An original is a special gift or investment that will last for centuries, something you can pass down through future generations. If you’d like to schedule a time to come and check it out in person, just email me at info@lindabarnicott.com.

What beautiful weather we’re having! It’s been more like summer for the last week, though it’s now turning a little more brisk and Fall-like. But I really don’t need to follow the weather forecast…  my schedule of shows tells me the holidays are at hand!

The show at Fort Ligonier Days was even better than I had hoped. So many folks came out to enjoy the festival and picked up a few pieces of art for loved ones or as treats for themselves. I greatly appreciate all of you – thank you for supporting your friendly neighborhood artist!

If you’re wondering what’s hot lately when it comes to what’s selling at my shows…

One of my favorite new products is my bookmark collection. Currently, there are six of them – you can see them all on my new updated website https://lindabarnicott.com/product-category/bookmarks/

As far as prints, two of my bestsellers are “Waiting for You under Kaufmann’s Clock” and “A Holiday Tradition.” The stories folks share with me about their memories of meeting under Kaufmann’s Clock and shopping at Horne’s Department Store always make me happy inside.

The bookmarks are individually hand-crafted by Wendell August Forge and are made of scratch-resistant aluminum. They’re lightweight but will not break, so they can be easily shipped as a gift to someone special – a perfect gift for an avid reader, and it will remind them of a treasured memory.

What has really been taking my shows by storm is the latest painting in my Jolly Old Elf series, “Santa and the Greatest Gift.” Of course, you may already know why this painting has an extra-special meaning for me and my family. My granddaughter Aria was the model for the child in Santa’s arms representing baby Jesus.  Aria was 4 months old at the time, the perfect age to pose with Santa for our photo shoot in January.

I’m just blown away by the response I’ve had to this painting. Last weekend at Fort Ligonier Days, a few people even told me that the painting gave them shivers up and down their spines (I believe they meant that in a good way!). Many of them purchased a print because a family member or friend was having a baby, and it seemed like a perfect gift. Others told me it was going into a special place in their home.

This weekend I’ll be setting up once again for the Night Market in Downtown Pittsburgh at Market Square from 5 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, October 21^st. I’ll have lots of my smaller items with me, including the bookmarks and of course, “Santa and the Greatest Gift.” Stop by and check it out!

Have you ever been to Fort Ligonier Days? It’s all-day fantastic experience with great food and music, historical re-enactments, and of course the finest art and gifts!

It looks like Friday and Saturday will be perfect days to come out to the country (and don’t let a little rain scare you away on Sunday!). Ligonier Days is one of my very favorite shows of the year, especially with the beauty of fall and the wonderful people who always come to this event.

I will be in booths #16-17 in the Loyalhanna Lot located off South Market Street behind the fort. The show runs October 13^th through 15^th, from 9 to 6 on Friday and Saturday and then Sunday 10:30 am to 5 pm. I have so many new things to show you for the holiday season and would love to see you there!

On a more personal note, this has been a significant week for me because Tom and I are celebrating our wedding anniversary – 37 years of a truly happy marriage.

You may find this hard to believe, but back then almost everyone we knew said “It won’t last.” But we always knew it would.

You see, we mastered the long-distance relationship long before cell phones and texts made it easier. In those days, you had to wait until after 11 pm for the cheaper long-distance phone rates. And we actually communicated with snail mail. Every day I would get letters from Tom… some were even handwritten on napkins from a coffee shop at South Hills Village on his way to work (complete with coffee stains!).

Throughout the years, Tom has been my rock, the greatest source of support for my art career – the man behind the artist. He’s always challenging me to persevere, to excel, and to be more creative in every aspect of my work. He truly is my better half, and today I salute my husband and best friend.

Now, since you haven’t seen my granddaughter in a while, I couldn’t resist a showing you this photo with a little different aspect of her personality. There certainly are a lot of photos out there with her smiling – she does that all the time. But this expression was too precious not to share…

Can you believe how time is flying by this fall? It’s not too early to start thinking about gifts for the holidays! If you can’t make it to the show in Ligonier this weekend, check out my Brand NEW website at www.LindaBarnicott.com and let me help you with your shopping needs!

P.S. – There’s no time like the present to invest in beautiful original art!

My Original of the Month, “Game Time at Heinz Field,” would be an amazing addition to your collection of sports memorabilia or Pittsburgh art.

This is the one and only original, and it will last for centuries. From the glowing reflections on the water to the unique “Pittsburgh” sky, this painting is truly is one of my favorites. You can almost hear the crowd going wild in the stands.

If you have an interest in owning this or any of my other one-of-a-kind original paintings, please shoot me an email (info@lindabarnicott.com) or give me a call at 1-888-PITT-ART.

This week has been a time of intense creativity for me. We had the pleasure of hosting a nationally known artist here in Pittsburgh, and I was privileged to attend her workshop. Of course, being “Pittsburgh Proud,” we had to show her all the sights. She was suitably impressed and told us “You have a beautiful city!” My head and my heart responded together – “Yes, yes we do! And we are so lucky to live here.”

You can google Christine Ivers and check out her work… both are pretty spectacular!

So what did we do with Christine, and what did I learn from it?

First we made our own boards to paint on, applying acrylic gesso with pumice to the board with a paintbrush to make the board archival. Basically, that means it will last for decades upon decades… maybe even centuries!

Then it was time to sit down and sketch and then paint with my soft pastels. My subject was the Lili Coffee Shop in Polish Hill. Because of the texture, I had to use all of my fun thick pastels instead of my tight skinny hard pastels, making the painting very “painterly.”

I loved the way the texture showed through the pastel – in fact, I do believe it could be an interesting addition to my paintings in the future. Let me know what you think!

Though I haven’t yet figured out how to clone myself, I have figured out a way to be at two shows at the same time this weekend!

Well, not exactly… but my family will be manning my booth at St. Thomas More Church in Bethel Park this Saturday from 9 to 3. Stop by and see them – they’ll be happy to help you fulfill all your gift needs. (Don’t forget to splurge on yourself, too! You deserve it.)

My actual physical self will be with Santa at the Courtney-Laughlin Gallery in Beaver for the Artist Walk on Saturday from 10 to 4. Of course, there will be photos with Santa all day long (perfect for Christmas cards!) and lots of my new work that I will be happy to sign and personalize for you. After you stop by, be sure to take a stroll down the street and meet the other artists who will be visiting.

The response to my new website has been very gratifying! Thanks again to all of you who have checked out my new updated website www.lindabarnicott.com and have been ordering from there. It warms my heart to see those familiar names coming through on the order forms.

P.S. – October’s Original Painting of the Month is “Game Time at Heinz Field” – Perfectly framed to look great in your Man Cave but elegant enough for any room in your home or office. If you are interested in owning this one-of-a-kind collector’s piece, please contact me at 412-283-4072