If you’re a Pittsburgher, Kennywood Park is synonymous with Summertime. For many years I participated in their Celebrate America Festival around the Fourth of July, and though I’ve moved on, I treasure those sweet memories – especially meeting many of you there over the years.

Remember the old song, “Everything Old is New Again?” If you’re a Kennywood fan, you probably know the park’s biggest news story of 2016 – the Return of the Whale! This week I want to share with you the “behind-the-scenes” backstory of my painting, “Making Memories at Noah’s Ark.”

Back in the mid-90s, I sat down with Mary Lou Rosemeyer (the park’s Director of PR at that time) to strategize about painting a series of Kennywood scenes. We chose Noah’s Ark as the second painting in the series because plans were being made for major changes to it in the near future, We wanted the painting to capture the “Old” Noah’s Ark with the Blue Whale entrance as a nostalgic contrast to the ride’s new exterior.

During the winter before the renovations took place, I spent a good bit of time in the park, hanging around the Ark and scouting out just the right angle to paint it from. I found the perfect three-quarters angle, but though there were no leaves on the trees at the time, there were still many, many tree limbs in the way. This made my job a lot harder – I had to figure out a way to compose the painting from just the right spot but leave out the trees!

Then in the spring after the park opened, I posed family and friends both at Kennywood and at our church and home. I even had a young woman pose over the air vents on the upper deck. I put Tom and Brittany by the ticket booth, and little Alyssa was held up for a drink at the water fountain by a dear friend of ours who has now passed on.

Our plan was to release the painting at the same time that renovations would be finished. Well, it turns out that the winter weather put construction behind schedule, and the Ark was not quite finished by the time the festival came around. Mary Lou suggested we just go ahead and have the unveiling of the painting at the festival as planned.

Folks loved the painting, but I noticed something interesting… after they left my booth, they would often walk over to the new, unlandscaped, unfinished, construction-taped Ark… then return to my booth and purchase one of the prints. I think it was because they were already missing the old Ark of their memories and wanted something to remember it by.

I guess park management just didn’t understand how attached we were to that whale! So many people really missed that big mouth and squishy tongue… then nearly 20 years later, Kennywood listened to the voice of the people and took it to heart. The Ark re-opened this year with a new Blue Whale entrance, complete with squishy tongue. The interior has been renovated as well, changing it back to its traditional funhouse format.

In other words, my old painting was new again!

The original prints have been sold out for years, but you can get posters, ornaments, notecards, and magnets of “Making Memories at Noah’s Ark” on this website – CLICK HERE! They make perfect gifts and great memories of a truly one-of-a-kind Pittsburgh attraction.

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”.

After months of hard work (and fun!) creating my new painting, “Making Magic in Santa’s Workshop,” I can finally say “It’s finished!” And this week I transformed it into an archival giclee print that is now available to the public – live and for sale on my website. CLICK HERE to learn more.

So why wait for Christmas when you can celebrate right now?

The original painting has already been sold to a Santa Claus collector in Connecticut. When he saw the finished painting, he shared a beautiful quote with me:

“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love” – (Hamilton Wright Mabie, American essayist)

I hope this painting touches something in your heart as well and that you’ll make my Santa paintings part of your holiday decor, give them as gifts, or add them to your own collection.

“Making Magic in Santa’s Workshop,” is the second of five major limited-edition prints in my “Jolly Old Elf” series. A new painting from the series will be released each year over the next four years.

If you’re interested in the entire series, why not invest in the complete five-year collection now?

My premium series collectors are guaranteed the lowest price. They also receive a whimsical Santa companion print (9” x 12”) for each year of the edition at no additional cost. Take a peek at the companion print for “SHHHH!”, the first painting in the series. It is titled “Santa’s Newest Reindeer.”

Again, the companion prints are a free bonus for collectors of the complete series (they will be offered to the public individually at $70.00 each for purchase at a later time). If you’re interested in the entire five-year series, give me a call at 1-888-PITT-ART or email me at info@lindabarnicott.com, and I’ll assign you your very own number in the edition!

If you’ve already subscribed to the series, I’ll be in touch soon about delivery. Or if you purchased the first painting in the series, “SHHHH!”, and want to collect all five, just call or email me for your special price!

Meanwhile, I hope you’ll enjoy this little story about the painting… written by “Santa” himself:

“Oh, she’s just going to love this,” thinks Santa Claus as he puts the finishing touches on a rocking horse that a special little girl wanted just for her doll. More often than not, Santa likes to put on his apron and walk to the back corner of the Workshop, where he likes to tinker with the old tools that he began with so many years ago with his very own workbench. The elves can always use a little help, and Santa finds that working with his hands brings a sense of peace and relaxation. “Silent Night,” sung by Bing Crosby, plays on the old radio from a late-night radio station somewhere halfway around the world. Christmas is getting nearer, and all is calm… all is bright.

But it’s not the toy making or the music that brings the smile to Santa’s face. It will be the look of joy on that little girl’s face this Christmas morning when she comes downstairs and sees the toys that were made just for her.”

~~~

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 may be half a year away, but I’m celebrating today anyway! Because this was the day that I put the finishing touches on “Making Magic in Santa’s Workshop,” and here is my process.

As the painting evolved, I took pictures along the way so I could share the creative process with you:

Ever since I was a little girl, my art has always focused on the faces of my subjects – the emotions are mesmerizing! In this painting, he’s contemplative, thinking of the little girl who will open this gift on Christmas morning.

I also tried to express his emotions through his gentle hands and how they caressed the little rocking horse that he was painting. The movement of his hands had to be flowing and steady.

Next, I focused on Santa’s tools and the radio he was listening to as he worked. The lighting is very important in this painting to set the mood, so I made the lantern on the shelf a beacon in the darkness of his workshop and the garland aglow with old-fashioned Christmas lights.

Every toy in the workshop has a story – they were chosen because they were precious childhood heirlooms for my family and me, Santa, and some other close friends. The doll in blue on the top shelf was a gift from my mother when I was a little girl. The doll’s name was “Love Me Linda” – so of course I kept her all these years because she was my namesake!

Next, I added the light that would illuminate Santa and the shelves behind him.

The rocking horse was made for my daughter by a dear departed friend. On Santa’s right, is my oldest daughter’s first toy – a black and white panda. We chose it for her because we knew that newborns only see in black and white!

For the sake of balance, I made a decision to switch the Christmas tree to the opposite side of the painting from where it was originally photographed. I placed some of our favorite ornaments on that tree, including my father’s Santa ornament… a piece of my heart.

I began filling in the background elements behind Santa. But what I enjoyed the most about this section of the painting was painting the bubble light Santa that we inherited from my husband’s English grandmother. I loved capturing the soft glow of the light through the bubbles!

As a finishing touch, I took the opportunity to carry the old-fashioned lights throughout the painting, drawing the viewer’s eye from one side of the workshop to the other.

I hope you enjoyed the story of how I created my latest painting, “Making Magic in Santa’s Workshop,”

Every year when June rolls around and Father’s Day is coming up, my dad is on my mind. He was always my biggest fan and was always there for me throughout my career. In fact, my dad was even one of my most devoted collectors. He especially loved my Kennywood Carousel Animals paintings, and I created a special framed piece for him that included all four of them.

He was a special guy, and I miss him terribly. Yet there was one thing in particular that my dad did for me many years ago that makes me think of him and smile every single day.

When I was a young girl, I had the misfortune of being the only member of a very musical family with no musical talent. I wanted so badly to fit in, I even took up the violin at one point in an effort to be a part of things. Unfortunately, I was pretty awful at it! No matter how hard I tried, it was obvious that I was an artist, not a musician. But my dad understood.

So knowing how much I loved to draw, for my 16th birthday, my dad made me my own art desk, complete with a built-in cabinet to store my supplies. It just fit perfectly between my bed and the wall in my little 9′ x 10′ bedroom. I still consider it one of the best presents I’ve ever received.

I loved that desk so much that when I got married, I brought it with me to our first apartment. The only place we could squeeze it in was in front of the coat closet, so we had to move it every time we needed to get our coats out.

As time passed, and I got a little older (and a bit more decrepit!), I called my dad and asked him to make me a new “Over 40″ desk. You see, since I had turned 40, I wasn’t as flexible as I used to be, and it was getting harder to lean over the desk with the cabinet underneath. My dad said “No problem!” and simply reconfigured the design so that I could get my legs underneath it, as well making a few other little ergonomic adjustments. I’m still using that desk to this day, and I remember my dad every time I sit down to paint on it.

I would love to hear your favorite stories about your own dad or another man in your life who has meant a lot to you. When you’re looking for the perfect Father’s Day gift for your own special guy, why not choose a gift that will remind you both of happy memories together from younger days? CLICK HERE to shop my website for that perfect gift. I’ll be delighted to personalize something meaningful for you.

P.S. – Don’t miss next week’s blog, featuring the evolution of “Santa’s Workshop,” the newest painting in my Jolly Old Elf series – from start to finish!

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”.

In a few short weeks, it will be Father’s Day, when we celebrate the beloved dads, grandfathers, uncles, brothers, or other father figures who taught us, inspired us, and helped mold us into the people we are. It’s the day that reminds us to say “I love you” to those special men in our lives.

His love of Pittsburgh sports is something that my husband Tom has shared with our daughters since they were just small. I know our girls treasure those memories of cheering for the home team over the years with their dad.

The other night, I had to smile when I saw Tom in our living room, on his feet with excitement as he was riveted to the last few minutes of the Penguins game. I smiled because I was reminded of how much fun he has as a sports fan, especially as a hometown boy in the City of Champions. Tom is a real die-hard Pirates baseball fan, a devoted Penguins fan, and in the winter, of course, he’s a rabid Steelers fan!

Tom has always been my biggest cheerleader. He’s unfailingly supportive of my art career… but his favorite part of that is when I paint Pittsburgh sports scenes, teams, and players.

If your husband (or dad, or grandpa, or uncle…) is a Pittsburgh sports fan like Tom, one of my sports-themed paintings would make a perfect Father’s Day gift. CLICK HERE to check out all of my Pittsburgh Sports Scene prints that are for sale on this website.

For those of you who are local, ordering early ensures that I’ll have plenty of time to frame the print of your choice with a beautiful black and gold sports frame. You can even pick it up at my studio in Bethel Park, and I’ll personalize the back of the frame for your dear one and sign the glass in gold.

Meanwhile, if you’re going to be out and about this weekend, come see me at the Shadyside Arts and Crafts Festival on Walnut Street this Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 6 pm. (Visit my Calendar of Events page to learn more.) This is my second year at the May show. It’s a great excuse to take a day trip and enjoy the ambiance and the art. If you do come to visit, I’ll be happy to give you a virtual sneak peek at the progress on my new Santa’s Workshop painting. I am really excited about it… so please stop by! I would love to see you and maybe even sign and personalize one of my pieces for 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”.

Over the last three weeks, it seems like I’ve been all over the map, going everywhere and doing everything. And though I’ve been working on my latest Santa and the Forbes Hospital mural project, what’s keeping me so busy isn’t just painting… I have a whole lot of other stuff going on!

Lately it seems I’m constantly on the go – learning, fundraising, exhibiting at my museum show… and even tearing out walls! I’ve also been working on my garden between the spring showers.

Recently, I had the privilege to be the featured artist for the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh’s biggest fundraiser of the year. This worthy cause supports Youth Development, Healthy Living and Social Responsibility on the North Side.

Then two weeks ago, I attended a conference in Jacksonville, Florida, where I learned ways that I can serve my customers better and how I can help make a difference in our world. Becky Auer, my travel partner (and previous owner of South Side restaurant Nakama), spoke from the stage about her daughter’s fight with Cystic Fibrosis and how it has influenced her business. She also shared some fun ideas for creating a happier work life.

Speaking of creating a happier work life, I also met Rick Harrison from Pawn Stars! I was impressed by his story of how he overcame the fear of epilepsy and built a career for himself doing what he loves.

Sounds pretty hectic, right? But I didn’t stop there! When I returned home, our family worked together to catalog 28 of my originals for my one-woman art and gift show at the John A. Hermann, Jr., Art Museum in Bellevue.

Last Friday was the artist reception, and I was thrilled at how many of you turned out for the evening! I had a chance to personally sign many pieces of my art work for customers. Everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves… even Santa himself, who was an unexpected visitor! You can catch the show on weekends from now until the end of June.

In the last week or two, I’ve also expanded my resume to include home remodeling! We’re fixing up our home in Brentwood so that Jon and Alyssa can move in as they await Aria’s birth, and this involved doing some serious demolition work in the kitchen area. The funny thing was that of the four of us who did the work, only Jim Walter from our church (First Bethel UMC) had any experience at all with demolition! But it ended up being fun, and working together was a great experience.

As if I didn’t sound busy enough, I actually have even more to share… but it will have to wait for another blog! I hope you have a great week, and I look forward to writing to you next time. Thanks again for being a faithful follower. Your support means a lot to me!

P.S. – Graduation Season is in full swing! Have I painted your child’s college or university? CLICK HERE to find out.

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”.

One sure way to keep life interesting is to do something you’ve never done before.

So I’m having a particularly busy and exciting week as I prepare for my very first museum show! The show will feature my original pastels, and some prints and gift items will also be available.

Earlier this week, Tom and I packed up 28 of my original pastel paintings and delivered them to the John A. Hermann, Jr. Memorial Art Museum in Bellevue, Pennsylvania.

The Mayor of Bellevue himself was there to greet us and to help us unload. Mayor Paul Cusick has a beautiful heart and was very enthusiastic in his support for the show.

The show will begin with an Artist Reception from 6 to 8 pm on Friday, May 6th. It’s open to the public, and I’d like to extend a personal invitation to you, my loyal readers.

I would love to see you at the reception Friday evening too kick off my very first museum show ever. And if there is a piece of art that you would like to have signed, I will be personalizing my work in gold during the reception.

Looking forward to seeing you 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. 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”.

It seems like I’m writing a lot of Mother’s Day themed blogs lately. Maybe it’s because this year I’m a very happy Grandma-to-Be!

This week we had 25 friends over on Saturday for the Big Reveal – my daughter Alyssa announced that she and Jon are having a baby girl whose name will be Aria Grace. The reveal was done in a really cute way – Alyssa handed out both pink and blue balloons, and everyone was asked to blow them up at the same time.

It soon became obvious that only the pink ones were blowing up, meaning that a baby girl was on the way… that’s because we put holes in the blue ones!

Looks like the word is getting out about my new line of candles! The Sugar Creek Candle Company now has my designs available on their website. If you’re looking for a nice Mother’s Day gift (or if you’re a mom who just wants to treat herself!), check them out.

On this Mother’s Day, don’t forget to honor the “mom” you love with a gift that will bring back warm memories of your times together. You can purchase the Sugar Creek Candle Company Candles and a multitude of other gifts with Pittsburgh memories for you to share on this website. CLICK HERE to start your shopping!

If you would like me to personally sign your gift, just leave a note in the Special Instructions section of the order form.

I’m off again this week… this time I’m in Florida for a business conference. There’s so much out there to learn! Wish me luck!

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”.

This week one of my clients asked me “Have you noticed how much younger grandparents are becoming these days?” I had a good laugh, as I just celebrated my 58th birthday – and I definitely agree that we’re getting younger all the time!

As you probably know, my daughter Alyssa and her husband Jon are having a baby in September. And with Alyssa as a mother-to-be and me about to become a grandmother for the very first time, Mother’s Day is especially meaningful to me this year.

One of my favorite Mother’s Day memories is from Kennywood Park, the subject of many of my best-known paintings. One year, although the subject of my new painting was going to be Kennywood’s Fall Fantasy Parade, I actually did the posing for the painting with my friends, family, and park employees on Mother’s Day weekend.

The inspiration for “Celebrating Kennywood’s Fall Fantasy” came from the many years that Tom and I visited Kennywood late in the season to see the different school bands march and play in the Fall Fantasy Parade.

Tom would reminisce about his teenage years in the Bethel Park High School Marching Band and how much fun he had… how his family sat up on the patio of the restaurant and cheered him on as the parade passed by… and how the park was bedazzled with colorful lights and banners and wonderful floats that delighted children and adults from all over the Pittsburgh area.

When I planned the painting, I had to make a tough decision… which high school band would I put in the scene? There were so many wonderful bands that played at the park, I just couldn’t make up my mind. Plus, I was certain that if I featured just one school band, I’d get hate mail from all the others!

Fortunately, there was an easy solution. At the time, Kennywood had its own little band of percussion and brass, so I took the coward’s way out and painted them at the head of the parade.

Though the painting was about Fall Fantasy, it was actually on Mother’s Day weekend that I posed Tom and Alyssa at the mushroom fountain getting a drink of water. My older daughter, Brittany, is sitting on the restaurant patio with my father standing beside her. Dale Hertrick, Tom’s best friend from Bethel Park High School, is there with his family, standing below the patio on the far left. Mike Seaman, the manager at that time, is on their right. The park benches are populated by some of our oldest friends, and the patio above is filled with park employees who volunteered to be models.

The real people that I put in my paintings add flavor to the pieces and give them personality. Every time I look at this painting, I’m reliving all those wonderful memories of Kennywood and the Fall Fantasy Parade that Tom, our daughters, and I have enjoyed over the years… and especially that long-ago Mother’s Day weekend. I hope it brings up happy memories for you and your family as well.

If you’d like to share your own Kennywood Mother’s Day memories, just drop me an email! I would love to hear about them.

P.S. – Though I don’t always have the opportunity to respond to your emails, I want you to know I read and treasure every one of them, as I do 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”.