Still here at Booth 3146 at the Home and Garden Show until Sunday. What an exciting week I’ve had here at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center! It’s been a treat to have so many of you visiting me at my booth!

One of the highlights of the show this year for me was having had the honor (and fun) of meeting Pittsburgh Dad! As soon as he realized who I was, he immediately shook my hand and told me that his mom had my paintings in her home! There was definitely some “Pittsburgh Chemistry” going on! If you’re a fan of Pittsburgh Dad on YouTube, you know he’s a talented actor and one of the funniest guys out there. But if you’re lucky enough to meet him, you’ll see that underneath the gruff Pittsburgh Dad exterior, he’s really a very warm-hearted gentleman.

I also felt especially honored when Santa (though he’s officially on vacation) made a special stop to visit me at my booth. As you can see, Santa was also excited to meet Pittsburgh Dad!

Now I’d like to tell you about a very special experience I had at the Home Show this week…

On Saturday, a young boy came into my booth with his parents and was looking around at my art work. I walked up to him and asked him if he liked to draw. When he said yes, I asked him kinds of things he liked to draw. “Do you like to draw things, places, or people?” His response was “People are hard to paint.” I explained that painting people is just like painting anything else… they’re made out of shapes.

Then I asked him if he would like me to show him how to draw an eye, and he excitedly said “Yes!”

With pen and yellow-lined paper in hand, we had an impromptu art lesson. He was so sweet and attentive. As I finished each part of the eye, I asked him if he understood what I just drew. Each time he said he did, with a serious look on his face. I sincerely hope that as this young boy develops as an artist that he remembers the night when he learned to draw an eye.

So, as we head into this final Home Show weekend, I want to remind you that you’ll receive $10 in Linda Loot for every $100 spent. It’s like FREE MONEY! I don’t make an offer like this at any other time during the year, so come on down and let me help you decorate or choose a special gift!

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 case I haven’t mentioned it lately, my husband Tom is the BEST.

The week before the Home and Garden Show is my busiest week of the year, and I couldn’t do it without Tom! He’s my greatest helper/partner despite having to work double time with his church duties. Those last few days before the show are pretty rough, getting everything moved, set up, and organized, and I can always count on him to support me every step of the way!

And it’s not just Tom that I rely on. Once we rented the truck on Tuesday, my wonderful friends helped us fill it up and then unpack it all at the Convention Center. I’m even greeted with hugs by the same union workers who help me move in every year! And I couldn’t survive without my booth staff during all those long hours at the show.

It would be impossible to do it all by myself, and I want to thank everyone who works so hard each year to help me make the Home and Garden Show a success… especially Tom!

So here we are on the eve of opening day, and I still have a lot to do before Friday morning. Fortunately, the adrenaline is kicking in just in time to put the finishing touches on what feels like my own little pop-up storefront (for the next 10 days, anyway!).

As I mentioned last week, I’ve brought a lot of unique and special pieces this year, including some of my original landscapes and an old 1994 original painting of Old Town.

Old Town is a magical composite of different Pittsburgh neighborhoods that incorporates songs by local singer Jay Hitt – in fact, there are 33 references in the painting to songs on the CD.

I’ve searched high and low in my studio for that CD, but I can’t find it… which is killing me because I really wanted to share it with you at my booth. Of course, you know it will resurface sometime after the show is over! However, if you just stop by to visit me at the Home and Garden Show, I’ll tell you some of the stories as I remember them.

Speaking of stopping by… I’m offering another special for my booth visitors. For the entire duration of the show, everyone who visits my booth and makes a purchase will receive Linda Loot.

Here is how it works: For every $100.00 spent, you will receive $10.00 in Linda Loot to use on a future purchase (redeemable from March 15th through April 3rd). The more you spend, the more you receive in Linda Loot!

Tomorrow’s the big day! I’ll be waiting for you at Booth #3146 at the Pittsburgh Home and Garden Show at the David L Lawrence Convention Center. Hope to see 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”.

I’m pretty good at painting Pittsburgh. I’m also pretty good at painting portraits and landscapes. But when it comes to painting things like my show displays and staining woodwork… my skills could use some work!

After 20 years, my booth display is getting pretty old. Every year some pieces break or just look a little shabby after another year in storage.

Thank goodness for my friend from our old church who helped freshen up and recreate some of the broken pieces. And with a lot of help of my son-in-law, Jon (not to mention a big assist from the spring-like weather earlier this week), I was able to get some staining and painting done outdoors.

Meanwhile, two galleries are working overtime to make sure my booth is well stocked with beautiful framed pieces, while unframed prints are being mounted on boards for the bin. The booth cookies are being baked… and my staff has their marching orders.

Then it’s Crunch Week! On Monday night, Tom and I will pick up the truck. Then on Tuesday morning, we start moving everything in to Booth #3146 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. As always, we have to hustle, because everything has to be in place by 10 a.m. on next Friday.

Then the real fun begins!… Hope to see you there!

Here are some tips for your trip to the show:

~ The first Friday is always a slow day at the Home and Garden Show, so it is the best day to come to receive my full attention and get first pick from my fully stocked booth.

~ Spend time looking around on my website and do a little pre-shopping research before you come to the show. The “Prints for Sale page is a good place to start – CLICK HERE. When you get to my booth, you’ll already know what you’re looking for.

~ Remember, there will also be unique pieces at the show that are not on the website and will only be available during the show.

~ And one extra little teaser… I’m bringing along a small ink sketch of my newest Jolly Old Elf painting in progress featuring Santa’s Workshop. Just ask, and I’ll give you a sneak peek!

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”.

Ever feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day? It’s been a busy week, and it’s about to get even busier!

Recently, Tom and I attended an event for United Methodist Bishop, Tom Bickerton, to wish him well as he moves on to his next adventure. The Bishop is a huge baseball fan, and I was truly humbled and honored when my painting, “Let’s Go Bucs at PNC Park,” was chosen as his farewell gift!

Not only that, but the Home and Garden show is only two weeks from today! It’s all hands on deck at the Barnicott household! Even my framer is working overtime, framing a third batch of prints to make sure I’ll have hundreds of newly matted and framed pieces in stock for the show. Visit my website’s “Calender of Events” to find out more about the show.

In the meantime, you may be wondering “Who is this shy little girl with the badly cracked lips who is obviously having a bad hair day?” It shouldn’t be too hard to figure out!

Here’s the story of how that picture inspired me to write this blog:

When my dear cousin moved to Georgia this year, she discovered many wonderful photos of our family when we were young, and she passed them along to me.

As a matter of fact, she also included a newspaper article from 1994 about my father and brother and their old construction business in New Jersey. I had tears in my eyes as I read my late father’s precious words about the pride he took in his work. He always worked hard and cared deeply about each job, helping out the homeowner as best he could. He had a strong work ethic, and I try to live up to it myself to honor his memory.

As I was sorting through the contents of an envelope my cousin had sent me, my childhood photo fell out, and I saw it for the first time in many years. I reluctantly showed it to Tom, who knew by my tone of voice that it wasn’t a picture I was particularly proud of. It was definitely not my best day!

So why did I choose to share it with you today rather than just hide it away in a photo album? Because it reminded me of the #1 question I’m asked when I meet someone for the first time: “How old were you when you started drawing and painting?”

I tell them that my very first memory of drawing was my first day of second grade (about the time the picture was taken). My new teacher was so beautiful! I had a burning desire to show my mom what she looked like, so I reached down alongside my new desk and picked up my little 2-1/2″ x 4″ red-covered notebook with lined paper in it. I drew her the best I could, trying to convey how elegant she looked with her high cheekbones and beautiful eyes.

Looking back on it, with my ability to focus in on those small details – hair, cheekbones, eye color, etc. – I should have known from that moment on that it was my destiny to be an artist!

Thank you for tolerating my second-grade picture and my walk down Memory Lane…

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”.

Sports enthusiasts sometimes say, “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.” I was reminded of that earlier this week, when my friend said something that really resonated with me: “It’s all about the hunt!”

In other words, we all work toward goals that we want to accomplish, but some people find the journey itself even more satisfying than the end result.

My friend loves to sew. She told me how much she loves going out and finding just the right pattern for a new project. Next, off she’ll go, looking for the perfect fabric and matching threads. Then the next step is laying out the fabric, cutting the pattern, and then finally sewing it all together. Her favorite part is not wearing the finished garment – but it’s the process of making it that gives her the most joy.

When I was a small child, my father started building boats for a hobby. I’m not talking about the kind that fit on your table – I mean real boats! Big boats… boats that were bigger than our home! We kids used to say he loved building them even more than he liked sailing them. For my dad, it was definitely “all about the hunt!”

I mentioned to that friend that I’m working on three separate projects right now, and that every day I’m preparing one thing or another, doing a little more each day to get ready for this year’s Home and Garden Show. She looked at me and said, “Of course you are!” She obviously knows me better than I thought!

Because, like my friend, and like my dad, for me the greatest joy is in the creative process itself. I love traveling around town, sketching and photographing, gathering the resources I need to compose my paintings. I love taking a little of this and a little of that from my photographs and sketches, putting it all together to create just the right composition. I love interviewing people and hearing their stories. I learn so much from the insights they share with me, and their perspectives are essential to how I visualize the finished painting. But more than anything, I love meeting new people. Each one makes life’s circle a little wider!

After my creative journey is completed, and the painting is finally finished, I feel that it represents the best part of me at that moment in time.

It’s been quite an inspirational year! I hope you’ll come and see the exciting exhibit I’m putting together at the Home and Garden Show! It begins on Friday, March 4th and runs until Sunday the 13th downtown at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. As I mentioned last week, I’ll have some interesting surprises at this year’s show! I’ll be waiting for you at Booth #3146. Visit my website’s “Calender of Events” to find out more about the show.

P.S. – I’ve selected just the right background for my new “Santa’s Workshop” painting… I can’t wait to get started on it!

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”.

Even though I’ve done it 21 times now, I’m still feeling energized and excited today after exhibitor training for next month’s Home and Garden Show!

In fact, at this point I think I could recite the entire program from memory. But I still go to the training every year because it inspires me to try new ideas and think of new ways to bring you my artwork at reasonable prices. This year I brought my daughter Brittany and her friend Breann to the training with me – passing the torch to the next generation!

Here are some interesting facts about the 2016 Home and Garden Show that I thought you might enjoy…

1. Over 350,000 people will pass through the exhibit hall during the 10 days of the show.

2. This year there will over 10 acres of exhibits!

3. If you walk through the entire show, you will have walked 6 miles!

4. Over 100 new exhibits are debuting at the show this year, but you’ll find me in my usual spot in Booth #3146.

5. I will have some surprises for you at my booth this year!

Yes, surprises! I’ll have some unique pieces for sale at the show… including some that aren’t even on my website!

I recently came across some of the smaller one-of-a-kind prints that I used to create some of my full-size print limited editions, and I’m going to offer them for purchase at the Home Show this year. They’re much smaller in size than the limited-edition prints and would be perfect for that little hard-to-fill area on your wall. They would also look fantastic in a nice wall grouping. Each one is an archival giclee, which means it will last a lifetime (and then some). Don’t forget to stop by and check them out!

Again, these pieces are one of a kind, so you’ll want to come early in the show to get the best selection. Same goes for the giftware items… the first weekend is always the best for getting exactly the one you want!

I’ll also have my latest original landscape there, “Rambling Rose,” as well as some of my favorite original pastels for purchase. And of course, there will be a big selection of prints and smaller items that would make a perfect addition to your home or a treasured gift. There will be something for every budget!

So don’t delay! In fact, you can save time by going to my Prints for Sale page, and do some “window shopping” for ideas!

Remember, there will also be other unique items at the show that don’t appear on my website. So it would be worth your while to make the trip downtown! Of course, I’ll be there every single day to sign and personalize each piece. Don’t forget to tell your friends and neighbors!

The Home and Garden Show takes place at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center from Friday, March 4th through Sunday, March 13th. As usual, I’ll be waiting for you at Booth #3146.

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”.

Happy mid-winter!

Though the skies are gray and snow is on the ground, it’s still bright and cheery at the Barnicott household!

As you can see, it’s still Christmas at our place. We kept it that way because, as my husband Tom explained, “It’s so dark in January, and it brightens up these cold winter days.” Not to mention the fact that thanks to my hectic holiday season schedule, we barely get a chance as a family to enjoy our decorations before the holidays are over.

Last night, we also celebrated Tom’s 59th birthday. Though it looks like Tom’s dressed for cold weather in the photo above, our living room is actually pretty cozy. We were just on our way out for his birthday dinner, and he was modeling his favorite gift – equipment that will let him indulge in his favorite activity (biking) – in the comfort of our home this winter instead of freezing outside.

So I think we’re up to about the 36th day of Christmas so far! In fact, we just placed toys under the tree after they were used as props in our photo shoot with Santa last weekend.

And speaking of Santa, check out this fabulous banner that was part of a national promotion for Rite-Aid stores this holiday season. That’s our Santa John, front and center! He is the perfect Santa because he truly embodies the spirit of Christmas and lives it all year round. For that reason, he’s very much in demand these days. I feel very blessed to know him.

Though it’s still Christmas at the Barnicott house, spring must be just around the corner… because next Wednesday, I’ll be attending training for this year’s Home and Garden Show exhibitors. The show runs from Friday, March 4th until Sunday, March 13th.

This is my 21st year as an exhibitor, so I could probably could give the training myself! But I attend every year because it helps me focus on the multitude of things I need to do to prepare for my 10-day “marathon,” one of my biggest events of the year. Visit my website’s “Calender of Events” to find out more about the show.

I’m already gathering my team to help me help you at the Home and Garden Show. I’ll be stocking up, and many decisions will be made in the next few weeks… which of my paintings, cards, and giftware to bring, how many, and so on.

Have a great week! If you love the winter, enjoy! If you don’t… just be patient.

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”.

What does an artist who hates the cold do in the middle of a frigid, snowy week? Why, think about my upcoming 21st year at the Home and Garden Show, of course!

Yes, it’s that time of year again to prepare for the “Big Show” from March 4th through 13th at the David L Lawrence Convention Center. I’ll be back in my same location at Booth 3146, waiting to meet and mingle. So mark your calendar, make a wish list, and stop by to see me!

But I’m not just thinking of the Home and Garden Show… As the snow was falling this week and the temperatures were diving, I was determined to think spring and to finish this piece so I can include it in the Home and Garden Show.

The original “Rambling Rose” (pictured above) will be featured at the show (unless it is purchased before then). This piece is a giclee open edition, and prints will also be available. All of my students from my Spring 2015 class will recognize this painting as we all worked in our own unique ways on this scene. We had some great fun working together during that special time.

I also wanted to give you an update on Saturday’s photo shoot with Santa. We arrived at Max’s workshop at 11:30, and with the help of some “volunteer elves,” we decorated his woodshop and turned it into Santa’s Workshop! Max was a huge help with ideas and moving pieces around. He even brought an antique sled that I hope will end up in the final piece. I also had a few friends also bring some old family toys to help make this painting very personal.

Santa worked hard modeling for us, and the elves and I worked hard, too! When we finished taking photos, we “de-decorated” in record time. I then returned to my studio energized and actually worked on painting #3 of the “Jolly Old Elf” series. Watch your email for updates on that piece in the weeks to come…

It was a very busy week,but I have a feeling it will not slow down! Ah, the life of an artist!

Have a great week! And if you need a gift of art for a friend, family member, co-worker, or other loved one, I’ll be happy to assist 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”.

If you’re like me, you probably have ambitious goals and plans in mind for the New Year. I want to share a couple of mine with you… and I would love to hear yours!

One of the first things I’ve done to kickstart 2016 is that I’ve started a juice fast. Today I’m on Day 4, and I’m already feeling more energetic, clearing my mind, and even dropping some unwanted pounds. Drinking all those nutrients definitely helps me feel better and ready to roll in this new year!

Another one of my New Year’s projects is Reorganizing and Decluttering my studio. It certainly needed some whipping into shape; unfortunately, with all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, tidying up was not a priority!

I also bought myself a few Christmas presents – some new toys to play with in the studio this year that will really help with my pastel work.

My favorites are a blender set of brushes made specifically for pastelists and a new sharpening tool for wider pastels. That tool was sorely needed! In the past, I had to save the soft wide pastels for non-detail work… or if I wanted to paint small areas, I actually had to use small pieces that fell off the pastel. I can’t wait to play with my new toys when I get started on my painting projects in 2016!

This week, I made progress on my first big project for the new year! I have been on the search for the perfect wood shop to create the setting for the second painting in the “Jolly Old Elf” series. Though I had found a good shop at a neighbor’s home and took some preliminary photos last year, I felt that it needed a little something more.

And with the help of some of my loyal customers, I think I’ve found the perfect location right here in South Park! Max has a woodworking shop where he creates beautiful handmade works of art. His workplace is a masterpiece! I could easily imagine Santa there, sitting at his workbench… or maybe standing as he puts the finishing touches on one of his wonderful old-fashioned toys.

For my part, I’ve been gathering some of my very own toys from my childhood to add to the painting. I’m bringing a doll whose eyelids open and close (big in my day!), a twirling baton, roller skates that turn into ice skates (because that’s what artists do), and Tom’s old glove and baseball to name a few.

I was also given an old Emerson radio from the 1930s to use as part of the background. If you’re an antique radio enthusiast, you’ll love it!

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”.