Last Thursday night, I had the honor of attending the Oakland Catholic High School Gala at the Westin Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh.

If you remember, in the spring of this year, I was approached by their board to create a painting that would honor each of the schools that joined together to become Oakland Catholic – Our Lady of Mercy Academy, Sacred Heart High School, and St. Paul Cathedral High School, with Oakland Catholic itself as the foundation.

Back when the dogwoods bloomed, I visited each of the former schools to take supporting reference photos. Love and pride was evident in the voices of the people I spoke with there as they told me each school’s story. It was my task to bring their vision to life in the painting, honoring these schools and celebrating their legacy as they move into the future as Oakland Catholic. Their last words before I left that day were “We’re counting on you!” (No pressure!)

Finally, after months of going over each and every detail and making sure everything was exactly right, I was humbled to experience the joy the painting brought to all the gala attendees. As Tom and I entered the foyer, filled with people and bustling with activity, the ladies who worked alongside me on the project welcomed us and showed us where the original was making its public debut.

The school was selling note cards and matted prints of the painting all night. I told them I had brought my pen in case anyone would like to have their purchase personalized, and I could be found at Table #20. I have to tell you, it was the best feeling in the world when folks approached my table to have their newly purchased art signed, timidly apologizing for interrupting my dinner! Tom (as usual) was his charming self, but in the end, we felt like we received far more than we gave.

Once again, this has been another week full of activity as I’ve been preparing for three public appearances on the weekend:

~ You’ll find me at the “All That Glitters” Tinsel Time Charity Luncheon at the Hilton Garden Inn at Southpointe (Canonsburg) from 9:30 to 3pm on Friday, November 6th.

~ Immediately after that, I’ll leave there and set up for the next day, Saturday, November 7th, at “A Christmas Affair” at John McMillan Presbyterian Church, 875 Clifton Rd. (in my backyard now!) Bethel Park from 9 to 3pm. You can find me in Room 9-11.

~ Then on Sunday, November 8th, I’ll return to the Old Allegheny Shoppe’s Christmas Holiday Show (their 40th year!) to sign my work from 12 noon to 4 pm. I spent all day yesterday setting up for their very busy weekend. I’ve actually lost track of how many years I’ve been participating in this show!

If you’re out and about this weekend, I’d love for you to stop by and say hello! And if you need something for your home or a gift of art for the upcoming holiday season, I will be happy to personalize it.

I’ll have some of my new catalogs at each show. Come say hello and pick one up! (I’ll have a limited number with me, so catalogs will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.)

P.S. – Don’t forget to order your “Shhhh!” Christmas Cards available in the Note Cards for Sale section of this site. The message inside reads “It is no secret you will have a Magical Christmas!” And there’s a sweet story on the back of every card! The cards are 7″ x 5,” packaged in boxes of eight for $24.00. Quantities are limited and they are selling fast so order yours today!

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’ve had a whirlwind week getting ready for the big day!

Our church will be doing a “Reverse Trick or Treat” this weekend. Basically, we older folks will go from door to door, but instead of receiving a treat, we’ll actually GIVE one, courtesy of our friends at First Bethel UMC. The treats will include candy (of course), a note, and one of my notecards, personally signed by me. It’s a fun way to let our neighbors know we care.

The notecard that will be included in the treat bags features my painting, “Celebrating Kennywood’s Fall Fantasy.” So today, when I started thinking about a fall memory to tell you about, I remembered the story behind that painting.

Like my family and many others, you may have discovered that the porch around the cafeteria is one of the best vantage points where you can watch the Fall Fantasy Parade go by. Many of the people depicted in that painting are actual employees who were on and around the porch. In fact, I also painted my daughter, my sister, and my Dad looking out at the parade, and if you look closely, you will see Tom and my younger daughter Alyssa getting a drink from the mushroom water fountain.

I also made it a point to include the Wishing Well in this painting because I made a wish by throwing a shiny quarter into the well on my first Pittsburgh date with Tom. My wish was that he would propose to me! And the rest is history…

I placed the historic Pagoda and the old games arcade in the background because they’re symbols of Kennywood, and I knew they would make a good backdrop. To avoid controversy, I chose to paint the Kennywood Band for the marching band in my painting. I knew I couldn’t choose a particular school band to paint because I would have been in hot water with all the other schools! So it was my safest bet.

I hope I’ve helped you remember Fall Fantasy memories of your own through my painting. CLICK HERE to learn more about the painting.

However, this week, I wasn’t just celebrating Halloween – if you’re a regular reader, you may have noticed that I’m already working on Christmas!

In fact, Santa and I made another appearance together last weekend, this time at the Arte of Framing with Debbie Assad. She is a great person and a great framer, and we had quite a busy, exciting time there on Saturday. Santa was, as always, his Jolly Old Self… posing with clients, singing to children, and even signing a few pieces. Debbie has more of my work available for sale, so if you’re in the Monessen area, please stop by!

P.S. – Don’t forget to order your “Shhhh!” Christmas Cards available in the Note Cards for Sale section of this site. The message inside reads “It is no secret you will have a Magical Christmas!” And there’s a sweet story on the back of every card! The cards are 7″ x 5,” packaged in boxes of eight for $24.00. Quantities are limited and they are selling fast so order yours today!

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”.

As I get ready for another fast-paced, show-filled Holiday season, I’m planning out the details of my jam-packed November/December schedule. It seems like just yesterday I was finishing up at the Market Square Chalets, and here I am stocking my shelves, ordering more packaging, and organizing my calendar for the 2015 holidays. Somehow the season is already upon us! Check out my “Calendar of Events” to find out more about my busy holiday schedule.

Of course, the season has an early start for me because I have to prepare for shows, build up my inventory, and set up artist meet-and-greets to promote my work… not to mention actually getting some painting done! But this year, even Santa is off to an early start as he’s been taking a break from his own busy pre-holiday schedule to appear with me around town.

I have been very blessed to have had Santa as my artist’s model! It was such a pleasure to paint him. He’s very nice in person, especially for such a big celebrity. In fact, if I had a naughty and nice list myself (and I’m not saying I don’t…), Santa would definitely be at the top of the nice list.

Because Santa is such an all-around good guy, he left Mrs. Claus in charge and took time out from his workshop duties to help me out on a recent Saturday afternoon. He joined us at the Courtney-Laughlin Gallery in Beaver, jump-starting the holiday spirit, greeting guests, and even putting his own signature on the prints that customers purchased that day. He was his Jolly Old Elf-Self – in fact, at one point he even stopped traffic to allow a child to cross the street!

And since he had such a fun time with me, Kathy and Jamie, and our guests at the Courtney-Laughlin Gallery, he decided to take a little more time away from toymaking for another special appearance! Santa also payed a visit to The Arte of Framing in Monessen this past Saturday. He got busy right away, sharing holiday cheer and giving out signatures to his many fans.

P.S. – Don’t forget to order your “Shhhh!” Christmas Cards available in the Note Cards for Sale section of this site. The message inside reads “It is no secret you will have a Magical Christmas!” And there’s a sweet story on the back of every card! The cards are 7″ x 5,” packaged in boxes of eight for $24.00. Quantities are limited and they are selling fast so order yours today!

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”.

That’s right! The Jolly Old Elf – Santa Himself – will be joining me from noon till 3 PM on Saturday, October 17th at the Courtney-Laughlin Frame Studio and Gallery at 531 Third Street in Beaver.

This is a very special event… after all, it’s difficult to for Santa to get away from his duties at the North Pole this time of year! Jamie and Kathy have created a Christmas wonderland at the gallery with special holiday perks to welcome Santa and our guests, including live music and refreshments. Click Here to find out more about this event.

There’s even a special offer for our guests: If you purchase a print during Santa’s visit between noon and 3 PM Saturday (or between now and then), you will receive your very own “Shhhh!” Ornament at no extra cost, signed by Santa himself! (Oh yes, and by me too!) This is a gallery only sale – reserve your print and ornament by calling the gallery at (724) 773-0306. I’ll also have other giftware and prints available on Saturday, and even a few originals will be on hand. Kathy and Jamie at the gallery do a beautiful job of framing my paintings.

Meanwhile, my latest holiday-themed painting for Breathe Pennsylvania, “Silent Night in Ligonier” is off to a fantastic start. It’s getting a ton of attention on Facebook, recording 3500 views and 31 shares in just a short time.

Can I ask you for a small favor? Would you mind visiting my Facebook Business Page to “LIKE” my page and to view, share and like this painting? I’m very proud of it, and I’d like to see how far we can spread the word. I’ve been thrilled with how much attention it’s already received. If you’ve already visited and clicked, I’m very grateful.

I’m also working on the companion ornament for “Silent Night in Ligonier,” which will be available soon. Why not purchase the print and ornament set this year? You’ll be supporting a great charity while enhancing your home with a precious memory of the Ligonier Gazebo.

In closing, this morning I heard someone say “Art reaches into the soul and fills a place other gifts cannot. It is emotional and has depth.” I hope that my work brings you that kind of joy.

P.S. – Order your “Shhhh!” Christmas Cards today! Quantities are limited.

PPS – Don’t forget to visit and “LIKE” by my Facebook Business Page.

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”.

Seems like I’m always on the move these days! With my super-busy Fall Schedule, if you blink, you might miss me!

For now, I’m back in Nashville again, spending some time with my Mom until the weekend. I swear I’m done traveling for this year – I have so much to do in the Pittsburgh area, there won’t be time to go anywhere else. When I return in a few days, I’ll dive right into my painting projects and get revved up for a full schedule of “Meet the Artist” opportunities around Pittsburgh. You can predict my whereabouts by checking the Calendar of Events on my website, www.LindaBarnicott.com/events.

The Washington County Covered Bridge Festival was amazing! The weather was perfect, and the people were wonderful. I love getting out to the shows, being outdoors, hanging out with old friends, and meeting new friends. “Shhhh!” and “Santa’s Newest Reindeer,” were a big hit, and the “Shhhh!” Christmas cards are selling like hotcakes!

Speaking of Santa… I just talked with him this week, and I have some exciting news! On Saturday, October 17th, he will be making an appearance with me at the Courtney-Laughlin Gallery in Beaver from noon to 3 pm! Who can pass up an opportunity to meet and greet the Jolly Old Elf, Santa Himself? Bring your cameras and get some selfies. I’d love to see you there – come out and visit this lovely gallery and join in the holiday fun! Click Here to find out more about this event.

I’ll be celebrating my 35th wedding anniversary weekend (October 9-11) in Ligonier this year, where I will be exhibiting on the Loyalhanna Lot for Ligonier Days! Ligonier Days is one of my favorite shows. There is always so much to do! The highlight of the weekend will be the unveiling of my newest painting for Breathe Pennsylvania, the Ligonier Gazebo in the Diamond. I will also have the new ceramic ornament of “Shhhh!” available at that show, as well as my usual stock of prints and giftware.

In other news, my new 20-page full-color catalog is ready! When I return home, I’ll be sending out a copy to all of you who have requested one. I love the way it turned out and how it makes my art look fantastic.

It’s not too late to request a catalog with plenty of time for holiday shopping! If you’d like to browse my “store” in the comfort of your own home, I’d be happy to send you a copy at no cost. Just shoot me an email at info@lindabarnicott.com with your contact info, or give me a call at 1-888-PITT-ART (local Pittsburgh people, call 412-283-4072).

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 hope you’re all doing well this week and ready for a great weekend! Show Season is underway, and my next stop is the Washington County Covered Bridge Festival on Saturday and Sunday, September 19th and 20th between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM. My booth will be in Mingo Creek Park by the historic Ebenezer Bridge.

I would love for you to come visit me under the bridge! So if you’ll just print out this blog and bring it with you to the Festival, I’ll give you what will probably be your very first Christmas Card of the Season! I’ll also have the cards available by the box at my booth.

As many of you read in my last post, I’m visiting with my mom in Nashville this week, but soon I’ll be on my way home for the show this weekend. Then it will be back to Nashville again until September 26th when my sister and her husband return from celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary.

In the meantime, I’m excited to show you the preliminary work on my latest project. It will be a new holiday painting for Breathe Pennsylvania, and the subject is the Ligonier Gazebo. I usually make you wait to see it until I’m finished, but I thought you might like to see it as it develops! Don’t worry, it still has a long way to go!

The Ligonier Gazebo will be the last in a five-year series of Christmas prints and ornaments that I’ve created to help raise money for this fine nonprofit dedicated to the fight against lung disease in Western Pennsylvania. Previous paintings in the series included:

~ “Pittsburgh’s Shimmering Season”
~ “Winter’s Beauty at McConnell’s Mill”
~ “Holiday Memories Under Kaufmann’s Clock”
~ “Holiday Greetings From My Hometown”

Let’s hope the weather holds, and maybe I’ll see you this weekend!

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”.

You may have noticed that my regularly scheduled newsletter is a little late this week! I got caught in a tight spot when I had a Thursday morning deadline on the Oakland Catholic High School project… then I had to hop on a plane to Nashville that afternoon to spend some time with my Mom. Which means I had to pack not only a week’s worth of clothing, but (because this is a “working vacation”) quite a few painting supplies as well. With all of that going on, there just wasn’t time to sit down at the computer and put coherent thoughts together!

So here I am in Nashville, chilling with Mom and working on this year’s Breathe Pennsylvania holiday print. This holiday season marks my fifth year supporting Breathe Pennsylvania. My subject this year is one that I’ve been longing to paint for ages – Ligonier’s landmark Gazebo! “My Santa” will even be appearing in the picture, though he’ll be in the background this time!

I’ll be back next week in time to exhibit on Saturday and Sunday at the Washington County Covered Bridge Festival. My booth will be down by the creek at the Ebenezer Bridge. This is one of my favorite shows in a beautiful setting. Come on down and visit me! I’ll have plenty of prints, cards, and giftware… because the holidays are right around the corner! (I know, too soon, right?)

Speaking of the holidays, this week I sold the original painting of “Santa’s Newest Reindeer,” the smaller companion painting to “Shhhh!” (first of the Jolly Old Elf Series). In fact, the buyer was so caught up in the holiday spirit that he also committed to purchasing next year’s original painting, the second in the series, where the subject will be Santa’s Workshop. I feel very blessed to have had so much success with my originals.

More big news this week: My new 20-page catalog is hot off the presses! My entire product line that is available for purchase is featured there, now all in one convenient place. Visitors to my booth at the Covered Bridge Festival next week can pick up a complimentary copy. Or if you can’t make it and would like to request a catalog, contact me by email at info@lindabarnicott.com or call me at (412) 283-4072, and I’ll send one out to you.

I’m looking forward to seeing many of my friends, fans, and clients during this busy Fall Festival Season, including another terrific show that’s coming up soon – Fort Ligonier Days on October 9th through 11th. It’s the perfect place for a day trip from Pittsburgh at fall foliage time. Check out my Calendar of Events to see where I will be this fall.

P.S. – My 2015 Christmas Cards are selling fast, even though we just put Labor Day behind us! This year’s cards feature the first painting in the Jolly Old Elf series, “Shhhh!”. They’re available in boxes of 8 for $24 on my website. Click Here to purchase yours. They’ll also be for sale at my shows this fall. If you come by in person, I’ll be happy to personally sign your cards.

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 a busy week this has been! After a fun and productive weekend at the Shadyside Arts Festival, it’s time to get back to a serious painting schedule. I have so many projects to do before the end of the year!

First of all, I apologize for the confusion last week. There was a small communication glitch, but now my first holiday card in the Jolly Old Elf Series, “Shhhh!” is ready and available to purchase on my website. Just Click Here to purchase yours. The cards had a great kick-off last week at the Arts Festival. They’re only available as a limited edition, so if you haven’t purchased yours yet, order today to make sure you don’t miss out!

So speaking of the Jolly Old Elf… if you remember, I told you that each year I’ll be creating a new painting in that series as well as a smaller companion print each year to complement it. I’m excited to announce that I’ve just finished the companion print for “Shhhh!” this week! As promised, here’s the slide show (at the top of this blog) documenting the progression from the sketch to the final print. And as always, you – my faithful readers – are the first to see it and the first to have the opportunity to purchase it.

This brand new painting is entitled “Santa’s Newest Reindeer.” For those of you who have purchased ahead the entire series, you will of course receive yours FREE! The print will retail for $70.00 and would make a perfect addition to your holiday home décor, or a perfect gift for a special friend or loved one who’s a Santa fan. “Santa’s Newest Reindeer” is irresistible!

By the way, did you notice something that is different between the sketch and the final painting? Can you guess what it is? Sometimes even a veteran artist has trouble getting the composition just right. This week, it was definitely my turn! This one thing drove me crazy, but in the end, I found a way around it.

I would love to hear your thoughts on my latest painting. Again, you can see it on my website; just Click Here. Or you can give me a call at 1-888-PITT-ART (1-888-748-8278), or email me at info@lindabarnicott.com to reserve your copy today.

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”.

Welcome to the start of a new season! Not only is it Back-to-School time for the kids, but it’s already about that time that most folks (well, at least most organized folks!) start planning for fall and winter holiday excitement.

It’s also the time of year that, for the past 17 years, I would print my annual holiday card to benefit the American Cancer Society. As I told you back in May, that program has come to an end.

I was honored to be a part of their fundraising for all these years, and it was quite an emotional evening as we celebrated 17 years’ worth of holiday paintings – starting with the Horne’s Tree, all the way up to last year’s festive Grant Street painting. Over the last 17 years, The American Cancer Society has earned over $750,000.00 from my holiday cards. And every bit of that has gone to cancer research and prevention.

But looking ahead to the future, it’s a new year and a new holiday season – And I’ve created a brand new holiday card line of my very own for 2015 and beyond!

Unlike the ACS cards, my new Christmas cards will not be wintry Pittsburgh scenes… nor will they be tied in to a charity as they have been in the past. What I can tell you is that they do in fact feature a certain Jolly Old Elf!

Ironically, the first painting in the series does also feature a beloved soon-to-be-closed downtown landmark – Macy’s and Kaufmann’s Clock. I didn’t know that the Downtown Macy’s would be closing when I painted “Shhhh!” and decided to use one of my Kaufmann’s paintings in the background! I chose it because it reminded me of my childhood, and it seemed like the perfect scene to share the canvas with Santa Claus – another childhood favorite!

My new “Shhhh!” Christmas cards are now available for sale. Click here to learn more.

I’ll also have some with me for sale this weekend at the Shadyside Arts Festival on Saturday and Sunday. Come see me if you can! If you purchase a box of cards at the Festival, I’ll be happy to sign them all in gold for you. Check out my Calendar of Events for more details.

P.S. – If you visit me at the Arts Festival, I’ll give you a secret sneak peek of the new companion print to “Shhhh!” entitled “Santa’s Newest Reindeer!”.

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”.