It’s About Time

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It looks like Fall is making a comeback today, and it’s about time! For now, I’m pretty excited about it, as I’m not normally a person who loves the hot summer weather. But check back with me after November 16th when I’ll be downtown at the Holiday Market in Market Square for 36 straight days, bundled up in four layers of clothing and complaining about the cold.

First, I just want to say thank you to everyone who visited my new website last week. It was great to see so many positive comments. I just updated the site with all my new giftware and prints, so if you haven’t had a chance to check it out yet, just click here.

I would also like to thank everyone who took advantage of the 25%-off sale to purchase lithographs last week.  In my opinion, the best deal of the bunch was “Mazeroski’s Magical Moment,” officially signed by Maz himself. This print in particular has been a well-loved piece, and the ones he has personally signed are nearly sold out.

One interesting tidbit his wife shared with me – the Mazeroskis already had a Linda Barnicott painting hanging in their home before they even met me. It’s one of my Kaufmann’s Clock paintings, and it had a very special significance to them… you see, they met on a blind date under Kaufmann’s Clock!

Speaking of nostalgia… I’m trying out a new feature starting this week: Original of the Month.

Each month I will highlight one of my originals that I have in my home gallery, where I display all my original paintings so I can enjoy them until they find a happy home.

As you may know, I paint in soft pastels; however, my paintings are anything but pastel in color. Game Time at Heinz Field, a night scene with a true Pittsburgh sky, is my favorite of all my sports stadium paintings.

The painting itself is 14 x 24 inches, and with the framing, it measures 26 x 34 inches. It is double-matted with a wooden fillet in a black wooden frame. The brass title plate is shadowboxed in the mats.

My favorite memory of setting up this painting was standing near the big riverboat paddle wheels and seeing the stadium all lit up for the game as the shuttle cruised past me. The reflections in the water were so vivid that I knew exactly at that moment what the palette of the painting was going to be. I wanted to show the beautiful color reflections on the river and pair that with the excitement of the game.

This original has a purchase price of $6400.00. It is the only stadium scene I have left in the original form. Game Time at Heinz Field is one of a kind and will last for centuries. It really is a great investment in art for a collector with their own special memories of Heinz Field.

This Saturday Night I will be downtown in Market Square at the Night Market from 5 pm to 10 pm. If you need any gifts, or if you’re redecorating your home or office, stop by and see what I have to offer!

Linda Barnicott (.com) Got a Makeover!

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Hi, it’s Linda!

Not me, exactly… but my cyber-self, LindaBarnicott.com, had a complete makeover and she is looking fantastic!

Yes! After months of brainstorming and hard, detailed work, my new website is finally live. I would love to hear your opinions, so check it out and let me know what you think!

www.lindabarnicott.com

It’s been a while since I’ve mentioned my work on the Forbes Hospital History/Community Wall mural. I had the opportunity to meet with the CEO of the Allegheny Health Network last Friday when several of us sat around a table and envisioned the final panel for the wall. What I love about this project is their interest in including the human experience… sure, there will be plenty of buildings, but my favorite part is the people who will be prominent in the painting and their place in the history of Forbes Hospital.

They’re planning a big gala event in April, and the plan is to unveil the entire painting then – Yikes! Nothing like a little pressure, right?

Well, let me be completely honest – I am extremely nervous about that because I’m just getting started painting it. The finished painting will be 1 foot by 10 feet in pastel chalk. There is a total of five panels with five different themes. It will be enlarged to 4 feet x 40 feet for the wall!

This is the biggest project I have ever done. Please pray for me, as my fall show season is starting. I have so many shows to take me away from the studio, and there is only one of me! I wish I could clone myself.

Speaking of shows… last week I had a tremendous show at the Covered Bridge Festival. I’m so grateful to all of you who came down to the Ebenezer Bridge and said hello. This weekend, September 23rd and 24th, I will be at the Mt. Lebanon Artist Market. The hours are Saturday 10 to 6 pm and Sunday 10 to 5 pm. The show is on Academy Avenue in the parking lot behind PNC Bank in the Washington Road Business District. This is my second year at the Artist Market, and I’m really looking forward to it.

It looks like the weather will hold for another glorious fall weekend. If you’re out and about, I hope you get a chance to stop by!

All Santa, All the Time on Etsy

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Though we’re just a couple weeks out from Labor Day, my time seems to be filled with Christmas activities!

The big news this week is the launch of my brand new Etsy shop – LindaBarnicottArt. I spent much of the last week working together with my assistant Leslie to create.

LindaBarnicottArt on Etsy can be summed up as “All Santa, All the Time!” I’ve stocked it with all my favorite gift items and colorful prints. I hope you’ll visit my shop and have a look around. If there’s a piece you particularly like, make it your favorite. As a new shop owner, it’s important for me to get the word out, so I would really appreciate it if you could share it with your friends on social media.

Here is the link: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LindaBarnicottArt

Another thing that has kept me busy lately is working with the framers to pick out exactly the right look for my original paintings, “All Aboard with Santa” and “Santa and The Greatest Gift.” As always. I spent a lot of time evaluating each frame to find the perfect one to suit each painting.

I also started the process this week of transforming my new paintings into giftware, and I’ve begun ordering the supplies I need to get ready for the coming Holiday Season. There’s so much to be done before the season officially arrives.

One thing that’s taking longer than expected is the launch of my new LindaBarnicott.com website. We’ve been working on it for months, but it still isn’t 100% ready. But we’re almost there! I’m not sure how I ended up with such a huge site… when I started out in 1995, it was fairly small. Over the next 22 years of painting and adding new merchandise, it has grown bigger than I could ever have imagined! So it’s been a lot of work to give it a makeover, but it will definitely be worth it when I can finally show it all to you.

After our summer break, Tom and I dusted off the tent this week and started getting the van ready! My first major show of the season takes place this weekend at the Washington County Covered Bridge Festival. I’ll be at Mingo Creek County Park. Look for me on the paved path close to the Ebenezer Bridge – take a right, and I’m just a short distance away. The festival takes place on Saturday and Sunday, September 16th and 17th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Covered Bridge Festival is one of my favorite shows. It’s a big one and very well attended. The forecast is for beautiful weather this weekend… perfect for a country outing to kick off the fall foliage season. So stop by and see me!

Santa and The Greatest Gift

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This has been quite a whirlwind week, in part because I’m still catching up after all my travels. But though it seems like I was on the road forever, I’m done with traveling for a while, and last week I was focused on completing this year’s Jolly Old Elf Series companion print, “Santa and The Greatest Gift.”

I’m very excited that we now have six paintings in the series, with four more paintings to go over the next two years. As I’ve planned the five-year series, I’ve experimented with some different concepts for the companion prints. But the fact that I chose this particular subject this year is actually a result of some impeccable timing.

Three years ago when I started the series, Tom and I had no idea that we would soon become grandparents. We didn’t anticipate that our daughter would give birth to a baby of her own last year, and that her baby would happen to be born in September… perfect timing to use her for an ideal Santa-and-Baby pose.

My granddaughter was just the right age to be my model for Baby Jesus. At that time, she was starting to become more interactive with the world around her, and needless to say, she was fascinated with Santa.

First, I had to shoot some reference photos to plan out the painting. Unfortunately, let’s just say that my photography skills leave something to be desired. (In fact, you might say they’re pretty terrible!) With the lower light, the photo had turned out yellow and blurry. However, this is one of those challenges that shows what an artist is made of!

I decided to go for an “Old Masters” look but with my own spin on it. I added in the rich blues that I’ve used in the other companion prints, “Santa’s Newest Reindeer” and Santa’s Joyride It was important to me to make the Christmas Star an element of the composition, I really wanted it to glow and make a statement. And as I did in my painting of Mother Teresa, “The Heart of a Saint,” my intention was to express the same deep eye-to-eye connection between the subjects of the painting that says “I love you.” I tried to capture Santa’s expression of profound joy as he cradles Baby Jesus in his arms.

The last important element in this painting was Jesus’ golden crown of light. I was going for something delicate, yet regal. I had the ideal image of its ethereal glow in my mind, and I feel that I was able to communicate that image onto the canvas.

I hope I’ve created a painting for you that will bring you a sense of peace and joy. It will be available online next week, but you can preorder it by simply sending me an email at info@lindabarnicott.com or by calling 412-283-4072.

P.S. – The Fall Show season is getting started! Come see me at the Covered Bridge Festival in Washington County on September 16th and 17th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This year I’ll be on the paved path, not too far from the Ebenezer Bridge. It’s a great show with a lot of fun activities and vendors. Come out and have a great time!

P.P.S. – If you have something special in mind that you would like me to bring for you, just contact me ahead of time at 412-283-4072, and I’ll have it there.

Make sure you are the first to know about all of my news, appearances and any “special deals” I am offering to my subscribers, by taking the time to sign up for my weekly newsletters now. You will also receive a FREE slideshow showing the step-by-step development of my painting, “Celebrating Time and Tradition at Macy’s”.

Once Upon a Time

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Happy Labor Day weekend… Where did the summer go? As I look ahead to the fall season, I’m remembering one of our family’s favorite end-of-summer activities.

Every single year since our children were born, we would pack them up and drive all the way out to Ligonier to visit Story Book Forest. Because we were pretty broke when the kids were growing up, we would go in the afternoon because it was half price after 4:00.

Story Book Forest was a magical place. Around every bend there was a new nursery rhyme or fairy tale. The girls really loved the crackers from Little Red Riding Hood and the little pigs and chickens further along the way. But they were afraid of the Little Old Lady Who Lived in a Shoe – she was always so grumpy!

Did you know that Idlewild Park was owned by Kennywood? For their big anniversary year back in 2000, I created a painting, “Once Upon a Time in Story Book Forest.” But with the size of the park and its winding paths, it was quite a challenge figuring out just the right spot to paint.

Fortunately, one cool thing about being an artist is getting access to the parks in winter to take photos. Winter is the prime time for photography at the parks because I can get unobstructed views without the leaves on the trees or the bushes filled out. To my surprise, when I showed up at Story Book Forest, instead of having to go around every corner to see each story, I could stand in one place and see the whole park!

I chose to paint the Pirate Ship for a few reasons; one, because the kids loved the lollipops, but mostly because it was my husband’s favorite memory of him and his sister standing on the plank. Of course we had to take picture of our kids there every year too!

My favorite Story Book Forest memory of the girls involves the mushrooms they are sitting on in the painting. When they were little, they would try so hard to climb up these little rounded sculptures… then suddenly one year they could do it without even trying. My oldest told me, “It’s a conspiracy – they’re shrinking everything in this park!”

Back in those days, the park manager’s mom played Mother Goose. I always thought about how cool it would be to have Mother Goose for my grandmother! The family stopping to talk to her in the painting are dear friends of ours who actually posed in our front yard. We told the little girls to pretend our pine tree was Mother Goose. It was fun posing all my “models.”

It was also a blast designing the painting. I took a little artistic license and landscaped it to take advantage of parts of the park I could only see in my winter photos. For example, I turned around the sign that says “That-A-Way” so that you could see it in the painting, and I brought the Crooked House with the Crooked Mouse closer to the path.

CLICK HERE to get a better look at the painting on my website and to learn more about how you can purchase a limited edition print for your home!

P.S. – My granddaughter Aria turned one this week!

Make sure you are the first to know about all of my news, appearances and any “special deals” I am offering to my subscribers, by taking the time to sign up for my weekly newsletters now. CLICK HERE to sign up. You will also receive a FREE slideshow showing the step-by-step development of my painting, “Celebrating Time and Tradition at Macy’s”.

Hawaii is for the Birds

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Aloha, it’s Linda! Tom and I are finally back in town after our Hawaiian adventure, relaxed and fully re-centered.

I have so many stories to share with you about our experiences in Hawaii… Last week I told you about the flowers falling down like rain and the beautiful scents throughout the Big Island. But in addition to the incredible natural beauty of the islands, what impressed us the most was the joy of the people there, their politeness and generosity. Though the people of Hawaii are very diverse, we never sensed any tension, but instead felt an overwhelming sense of family.

One thing we didn’t expect – Honolulu was like any other big city, with eight-lane highways going through Waikiki. We saw more people standing on one street corner than we saw in Kona in a whole day!

Parts of Honolulu are a little like Beverly Hills, with streets packed with super-upscale stores and security guards who looked like Secret Service agents watching their doors. Tom and I could only imagine the prices as we walked by. Yet at the same time, you might see someone in their bathing suit running down the sidewalk holding their surf board. And anytime you stopped and just listened, you could hear laughter floating in the air.

Some of my very favorite stories from Hawaii, however, involve birds!

As Tom and I roamed around the Big Island and then Oahu, it seemed like there were chickens everywhere! Wild and free chickens who love being around people (I’m sure it had nothing to do with the food those people were eating!). I thought of all the rooster paintings you see everywhere and how it might be fun to paint one myself. The old joke, “Why did the chicken cross the road?” could have been written in Hawaii, as chickens crossing the road are an everyday occurrence there!

Then on the day we visited Pearl Harbor (a very emotional experience), I decided to get something to snack on since we had left without breakfast early that morning. Tom was taking in the exhibits when I texted him and told him I’d be outside by the exit, sitting on the wall. I bought some cashews and iced tea, ripped open the bag of nuts, and started to enjoy a few little nuggets of goodness. Suddenly, a pigeon jumped onto my arm! He cocked his head and looked at me as if to say “Well?”

I put my drink down to free up the hand he had landed on. I wasn’t sure if pigeons can eat cashews, so I hesitated, but he was not going to leave me alone. He pecked at the bag, so I gave in and fed him one. One gulp and it was gone! Then he looked at me again, like he was saying, “I know you’ve got more. Hand ‘em over!”

Then another bird landed on me. And then another! At one point there were at least nine birds on me, and a crowd had gathered (including Tom) to watch the show!

So here’s a picture of me that morning, losing my breakfast to the Animal Kingdom.

When I left for Hawaii, I have to admit I was feeling pretty down. But Hawaii’s magic did its work – I feel like my old self again, and I’m already preparing for a busy fall season.

I just heard that I’ll be getting a double-sized chalet this year at the Holiday Market in Market Square. I was on the waiting list, so I was holding my breath hoping that I would get one. I am thrilled about this since I’ll be able to show so many more art gift ideas and paintings.

Finally, my new website is nearly finished… so stay tuned for the unveiling! Have a great week.

Make sure you are the first to know about all of my news, appearances and any “special deals” I am offering to my subscribers, by taking the time to sign up for my weekly newsletters now. CLICK HERE to sign up. You will also receive a FREE slideshow showing the step-by-step development of my painting, “Celebrating Time and Tradition at Macy’s”.

Blogging Hawaiian Style

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Aloha! Imagine living in a land where flowers fall down like rain…

As Tom and I walk down the streets of Kona, flowers literally fall down from the trees, and the scent of them is intoxicating. I told him if we could only take the beautiful scents of Hawaii home with us.

Everything is so different from what we’re used to back home. The weather is always perfect, and every sunset is spectacular. The land itself is so different, with volcanoes and lava fields, green and black sand beaches, and rain forests instead of our three rivers and rolling hills. Even the trees and plants that grow here are completely different – there are so many palm trees, and flowers are everywhere.

I must have been super enthusiastic about our experiences in Hawaii because my daughter asked if we were considering moving here. Though I did tell her no (I did have to think about it!), we’re thrilled to have had the opportunity to stay awhile in this wonderful place. We’ve made many, many memories that will last us a lifetime.

Just so you know I haven’t completely checked out of business mode, I found a gallery here, “Colors of Paradise Gallery,” who would love to carry my “Jolly Old Elf” series for the holidays. We’ve had a delightful time getting to know each other and sharing ideas. Next thing you know, my Santa series will be available in Paradise!

This time next week, we’ll be on our way home, but I’m not feeling sad about it. Our time in Hawaii has been relaxing yet exciting, and very restful. When I get back home to the Burgh, I’ll be fired up and ready to get back to painting. I pray you all have a good week.

Make sure you are the first to know about all of my news, appearances and any “special deals” I am offering to my subscribers, by taking the time to sign up for my weekly newsletters now. CLICK HERE to sign up. You will also receive a FREE slideshow showing the step-by-step development of my painting, “Celebrating Time and Tradition at Macy’s”.

Greetings from the Big Island!

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Aloha! I’m writing to you this week from Hawaii, a place that Tom and I have always dreamed of visiting.

For many reasons, this is a week of gratitude for me. I’m feeling grateful not only because we’re here in one of the most beautiful places on earth, but also because I was overwhelmed by the response I received to last week’s blog about the loss of my mom. It simply wasn’t possible to keep up with all the sincere thank-yous that I wanted to extend to so many of you who wrote to express your condolences. Thanks to your friendship, my heart is full.

Tom and I had scheduled this trip to Hawaii many months ago. We debated whether we should call off our trip, but in the end, we pulled ourselves together and took off for the South Pacific.

Hawaii is truly a place for reflection. The raw beauty of the Big Island takes your breath away. Last night, we visited Volcano National Park and watched as the white steam rose up from the live volcano, Halemaumau, turning to red at night.

The people we’ve met so far on the Big Island have been incredibly kind and welcoming. The other night I met an artist who was painting outside his family’s art gallery. He told me that he had grown up on the island. I watched with great interest as he put the final touches on the painting he had started two weeks earlier – a beautiful sunset at Diamond Head that was inspired on a visit to Oahu.

We talked for a while, and then I showed him the completed paintings in my Santa series and my painting of Mother Teresa. He noted that Hawaii has a lack of good portraitists, and he felt I could make a good living here in the islands painting portraits.

I admit I did think about it for just a minute… such a wonderful thought… and oh so tempting! But I realize that particular fantasy will never be – my heart belongs to Pittsburgh.

Tom and I are just beginning our stay here. Though I didn’t bring my paints and canvas on this trip, I’m taking a huge number of photos with my good camera. We are surrounded by beauty – I could easily spend an afternoon just photographing the clouds. It’s all about capturing memories that will inspire future paintings.

I hope you have a wonderful week. And once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind words and support. I will sign off by again saying Aloha – which means I wish for you love, peace, and compassion.

P.S. – While we’re here, my granddaughter is on vacation too. Here she is at the Virginia Beach Children’s Museum. I just couldn’t resist sharing this picture with you!

Make sure you are the first to know about all of my news, appearances and any “special deals” I am offering to my subscribers, by taking the time to sign up for my weekly newsletters now. CLICK HERE to sign up. You will also receive a FREE slideshow showing the step-by-step development of my painting, “Celebrating Time and Tradition at Macy’s”.

A Legacy of Love

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You may have been wondering what happened last week when my usual cheerful email didn’t appear in your inbox.

I try not to miss a week very often. Even when I’m traveling and far from home, I usually manage to keep in touch and write to you every week. Most of the time I’m upbeat and happy about my career and the blessings in my life… in fact, I’m usually just thrilled with life itself.

I’m a person who always tries to “keep on the sunny side,” and I know I’ll find my way back to feeling that way again, although I’m finding it a bit difficult right now.

The last two weeks have been very rough for me and my family. My mom passed away on July 23rd, joining my dad, her parents, and the other loved ones who have gone before her. My mother was a beautiful soul, full of giving and joy, who loved her family more than anything.

There was another thing that she loved, and it was a subject that she was happy to talk about to anyone, at any time, whenever given the chance. That was me and my art.

Sometimes I would be just out of sight, and I would hear her proudly tell a friend (or often even a stranger!) that I was her talented artist daughter and how proud she was of my artwork. It never failed to bring a smile to my face.

I was very blessed to be her daughter, and I always strive to pass along the tremendous love she always showed me through to my own girls. I too am proud of my children and who they have become, and I cherish every day with them.

In a few days, Tom and I will leave on the trip of a lifetime – we’re going to Hawaii! Talk about a painter’s paradise! We’re looking forward to our visit to the islands for some down-time and especially a time of spiritual renewal. Until then, my goal is to get back to my work, though it has been hard to focus. There is still work to be completed and loose ends to be tied up before we go.

One thing I’ve been working very hard on these last couple months has been my brand-new, better-than-ever website. I can’t wait to unveil it for you! By the end of August, I’ll announce the new site launch and celebrate with a special sale on some of my art – a secret sale that will be just for my faithful readers. Stay tuned…

Make sure you are the first to know about all of my news, appearances and any “special deals” I am offering to my subscribers, by taking the time to sign up for my weekly newsletters now. CLICK HERE to sign up. You will also receive a FREE slideshow showing the step-by-step development of my painting, “Celebrating Time and Tradition at Macy’s”.

Christmas in July, Part II

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Looks like another hot and humid weekend ahead, but I’ll be cooling off at Wendell August Forge on Saturday July 22nd at their exciting Christmas in July celebration. You can find me, as usual, hanging out with my homeboy Santa, and we’ll be ho-ho-ho-ing it up from 11 AM to 3 PM. CLICK HERE to view my Calendar of Events and find out more about this and other upcoming events.

Come see my new ornaments in person, and I will sign and personalize them for you. You can even have free pictures taken with Santa. (Idea – a family photo with Santa would look great on your Christmas cards this year!)

Speaking of Christmas, I want to tell you about a wonderful experience I had at the Pittsburgh Night Market last Saturday.

David, one of my most devoted art collectors, made a special trip up to Pittsburgh that evening just to see the original of “Santa’s Joyride.” David has had a long successful career in law enforcement, and he’s had some pretty interesting jobs over the years. David rides an old police Harley, and he comes from a long line of Harley enthusiasts. So you can imagine how “Santa’s Joyride.” captured his imagination!

The painting really spoke to him. He loved how the framing was so perfect for the painting, from the tread on the wood, to the leather mat, to one of the mats looking like the chrome on the bike.

His favorite part, however, was the backstory of the little puppy dog hitching a ride in Santa’s toy bag. The real puppy was just riding home with his new owner in the front seat of the car, and with the air conditioner blowing in his face, he had exactly the look I was going for!

I had teased the puppy’s owner that I was going to steal his dog… but only in a painterly way, of course! When I told David that his name was Michael, he told me St. Michael is the patron saint of police officers. How perfect!

I’m always emotional when one of my beloved originals finds a happy home, and “Santa’s Joyride.” has found the perfect home with a kind and loving man. I couldn’t be happier!

Though the original has been spoken for, of course I still have plenty of “Santa’s Joyride.” prints (as well as the entire Jolly Old Elf series prints and gifts) available for the rest of the world. I hope you’ll come meet me at Wendell August Forge on Saturday to enjoy a little Christmas spirit in the middle of the long, hot summer!

Make sure you are the first to know about all of my news, appearances and any “special deals” I am offering to my subscribers, by taking the time to sign up for my weekly newsletters now. CLICK HERE to sign up. You will also receive a FREE slideshow showing the step-by-step development of my painting, “Celebrating Time and Tradition at Macy’s”.