This week, my blog was supposed to be about my amazing event Wednesday morning at Kane Glen Hazel, but when it was announced that the Downtown Macy’s (formerly Kaufmann’s) was closing forever, I knew there had to be a change in plans.

When Macy’s announced this week that they were selling the building and closing their Downtown store, I’m sure that, like me, you were saddened at the loss of a lifetime of traditions.

For me, it was always about the “Big Three,” Gimbels and Horne’s, but especially Kaufmann’s/Macy’s. Nothing compares to those holiday window displays along Fifth, Forbes, and Smithfield, with KDKA broadcasting live and fond memories of Jack Bogut and his Farkleberry Tarts! (“Start your heart, eat a Farkleberry Tart!”)

And of course, Kaufmann’s clock was the subject of my first Pittsburgh painting that launched my career. “Meet Me under Kaufmann’s Clock” was followed by “Meet Me under Kaufmann’s Clock Too!” because people kept requesting the first one after it was sold out.

As a young artist, I remember asking the late Jess Hager, another Pittsburgh artist, about whether I should create another painting of Kaufmann’s. He told me I should paint as many as I wanted to, from every angle. Little did I know how many times Kaufmann’s would appear in my paintings!

Over the years, I went on to paint five big paintings of the store, and it appeared in two other paintings as well:

“Holiday Memories under Kaufmann’s Clock” was painted for the non-profit Breathe Pennsylvania after my conversation with director Jack Rupp. I told him I would paint anything for him in Pittsburgh, and his response was, “Well, I thought maybe you could paint Kaufmann’s.” I told him, “I could paint it in my sleep!”

Kaufmann’s also appears in “Mazeroski’s Magical Moment” in the celebration in the bottom panel of the painting. Maz said it’s his favorite part of the painting because he and his wife first met under Kaufmann’s clock for a blind date.

I was asked by Macy’s to paint a piece for their celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Kaufmann’s Clock at Macy’s entitled, “Celebrating Time and Tradition at Macy’s.” They even put it on the Downtown store’s shopping bags as well as on giftware.

Finally, this year, I picked the sold out “Waiting for you under Kaufmann’s Clock” (shown at the top of this page) as an accent in the background of my new Santa painting, “Shhhh!” I wanted to evoke memories of when we were children and would go downtown to visit with Santa and see the Kaufmann’s windows. “Waiting for You under Kaufmann’s Clock” was created for the American Cancer Society and is also sold out.

I will truly miss the big store where my husband Tom took our kids year after year on a special Christmas shopping trip for pick out a gift for their Mom. Though Kaufmann’s has seen its last holiday windows, I hope my paintings will help keep those warm and fuzzy memories alive.

P.S. – Wouldn’t you like to remember Kaufmann’s and get a piece of Pittsburgh nostalgia for your very own? Visit my Prints For Sale page or call my studio at 412-283-4072 to order while supplies last.

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”.

Today I have a special invitation for you!

On Wednesday, July 15th, the Kane Glen Hazel facility on Rivermont Drive will be hosting an exhibition of my paintings that is free and open to the public.

Over the last year, I’ve partnered with Kane to create oversized versions of 20 of my paintings for the residence halls at the facility. The idea is for the residents to “walk down Memory Lane” and share their stories with everyone they meet.

I am honored to have an opening there from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to share my own stories about the paintings. KDKA will be broadcasting live from the event, and there will be refreshments and live musical entertainment. I will also have some of my artwork there available for sale.

Come join me at Kane Glen Hazel to share this special occasion!

P.S. – Tom will be there with me, and Ruth will be there also, helping out for the day with my art-for-sale area. She would love for you to stop and say hello!

P.P.S. – Of course, I will also have my new Santa painting, “Shhhh!” for sale, and the new Santa magnets will also be available.

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 have so much to share with you this week!

I told you last week about our terrible experience with the storm at the Three Rivers Arts Festival. With the damage done to my tent and my art (not to mention done to ourselves!), I wondered if I would ever do an outdoor show again. But you know what they say… when you fall off the horse, the best thing you can do is climb back on and keep riding!

That being said, I have a brand new tent that I’ll be setting up for the first time this weekend at the Westmoreland County Arts and Heritage Festival… also known as the Twin Lakes Art Show. I’ll have a nice selection of giftware and prints at my tent in booth space #96 from Thursday, July 2nd through Sunday, July 5th! Check my calendar for more details

The Jolly Old Elf series will also make an appearance at Twin Lakes, with new prints of “Shhhh!” and new Santa magnets (hot off the presses!) as well. I’m still proofing the ornaments and also working on this season’s holiday cards.

Needless to say, after the disaster at Three Rivers, I will no longer be bringing any pastel originals to outdoor exhibitions, now or in the future. If you’re interested in purchasing one of my original pastel paintings, please contact me at (412) 283-4072. I will be more than happy to give you a private showing at my studio (326 Turngate Drive in Bethel Park), where all my originals are nicely displayed, safe from the wind and rain!

Speaking of originals, I recently drove out to Beaver to pick up Father Richard’s original painting of “Shhhh!” from my framer of choice, the Courtney-Laughlin Gallery on Third Street. The frame was so heavy, I had to let them put it in my van – I wasn’t taking any chances! Those frames are a lot heavier than they look! Being 5 feet tall is definitely a disadvantage when there’s heavy lifting to be done. Father Richard and the folks at the rectory just loved the magnificent framing around the painting – it really made the piece look festive.

I’ve already sold several complete Jolly Old Elf Collections! Don’t forget – you can purchase all five years of the edition now, locking in the price. As a bonus, you’ll also receive the 9” x 12” open-edition prints at no cost – at least a $70 savings for each print. They will be created (at least one a year) along with the limited-edition Jolly Old Elf series, and you’ll receive them automatically as they are painted and printed.

They will make great gifts… or you can simply add them to your collection as companion pieces to the Jolly Old Elf series. Order the collection now and get a low number in any of the three editions. Please contact me if you are interested in this special offer.

Hope to see you this week at Twin Lakes! Keep your fingers crossed for sunny weather!

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”.

To say the least, my first year at the Three Rivers Arts Festival was certainly a memorable one!

I love exhibiting at shows because I meet so many wonderful people, and I look forward to helping them find the perfect piece of art.

However, in the past, I’ve always been hesitant to exhibit at the Arts Festival because of its history of stormy weather. I used to make the excuse of “that’s the time of year I’m painting,” which really was true. But for some crazy reason, I decided this year would be different, and I applied. I deliberately chose to exhibit the second weekend because it would be closer to July and (I hoped) the dryer months ahead.

Saturday started off great, but in the afternoon, my daughter Brittany and I experienced our first bad omen – our tent actually lifted with a wind gust. Which was something that never happened before, especially with our new $1200 tent! Luckily, two gentlemen I knew showed up just in time to help us get everything back in order.

Things were looking up that afternoon when a special guest dropped by. It was wonderful to see “Santa” (or at least the model for Santa!), who happened by just after I sold ““Shhhh!” paintings to two of my customers. He was gracious enough to personally sign them, adding a darling little heart under his name. He even stopped for a mini photo shoot!

Finally, the show was over, and it was time to pack up and head for home. I had just brought in all the bubble bags for the originals pastels and prints, and we were beginning to break down the displays and pack it all up… when it started to rain.

While we waited for authorization to bring in our van, we were hit with the first serious gust of wind and hard rain. We tried to hold down the tent with all our might; I think this may have been the moment I sprained my foot. The lights fell on my pregnant daughter, and part of the roof was torn off, drenching my paintings.

I ran to the garage to get my van and begged the attendant to let me out as fast as possible. By the time I got back to our tent, it was gone – lost to another tremendous gust of wind. It was ripped right out of their hands, even though Tom was standing on the stabilizer bars! Everything and everyone was soaked. The tent was so badly mutilated it took seven of us to pull it apart.

We always knew something like this could happen someday. It’s the worst fear for a vendor at an outdoor show. But we’re so grateful for everyone who pitched in to help us during this disaster.

Fortunately, my foot is only sprained, and I’ll only be hobbling around for a little while. Today I ordered a new tent, and most of my art is drying out with the help of fans and a dehumidifier. I like to think that there is somehow a blessing in every bad experience – for us, it was the love and support of family and friends, pulling together to let us know we are never alone.

For now, I’m going back to work in my studio for a while, though in two weeks I’ll be venturing outdoors again for the Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival. Check my calendar for more details.

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’s been quite a week here at Linda Barnicott Studios! Not only have I been putting in a lot of studio time working on the Oakland Catholic commission, but I’ve also spent hours and hours this week huddled over my computer keyboard, updating my official bio.

My bio needed some work for three reasons: One, my website was in need of an update; two, I needed a current bio for my new catalog coming out in July; and three, for a national press release that went out this week to 218 media spots across the country! This was the first wave of publicity to promote painting number one in my new Jolly Old Elf series – “Shhhh!”

Last night I finished the printing changes on “Shhhh!”, making the print as close to the original as it can possibly be. Also, the work has been completed that was needed to start the ornament process, and soon we’ll start creating magnets and Christmas cards for the upcoming holiday season. The list of Retail Galleries and Gift Stores have been updated. Click here to see the updated list. And I’ve already pre-sold several prints and a few collections to galleries and customers!

Then just yesterday I brought the original pastel painting to my framer, Courtney-Laughlin Frame Studio and Gallery in Beaver, to finish the framing for its new owner, Father Yagesh.

Finally, I’ve been signing, enhancing, and packaging the prints for the Three Rivers Arts Festival on Saturday and Sunday…

And speaking of the Arts Festival, come see me this weekend at Booth #130! I’ll have a ton of original paintings there – more originals, in fact, than I will leave behind in my home and studio! As usual, I’ll also have bins full of prints – any of which could make a great Father’s Day gift for your dad… or your grandpa… or your uncle, brother, or cousin. Or maybe even a very good friend?

Also, if you would like a low number for my new Jolly Old Elf series, stop by and get yours this weekend where you can see it firsthand!

The show starts at noon and ends at 8 p.m. both days. My booth is located on Penn Avenue near Three Gateway Center. Hope to see you there! Check my calendar for more details

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”.

Summer is here at last, and this week I dusted off my booth for my first outdoor show of the season, the Shadyside Arts Festival. (The festival has added a new Spring show in addition to their original August festival.) Despite a dire rainy forecast, we managed to stay dry up until the last 5 minutes. Then as we were loading up the van to come home, the heavens opened and sent buckets of rain!

My favorite part of the Festival was getting to meet up in person with some of my friends and fans. My second favorite part, of course, was taking orders for my new painting, “Shhhh!” – the first of five paintings from my new “Jolly Old Elf” series.

One rule at the Shadyside festival is that our booths must include a certain number of original paintings. I worry a lot about that because my pastel paintings take me months to complete and could easily be irreparably damaged by bad weather.

However, this time I’m glad I took the chance, because I sold another one of my originals at the Festival! The client bought the original of “Season’s Greetings at Station Square” as a gift for her father, who is a collector of paintings depicting old Pittsburgh. He also works in the coal industry, which is why this painting – the only one of my Pittsburgh series that shows a river with a coal barge on it, front and center! – was perfect for her father. This was a match that was definitely meant to be, because interestingly enough, I only brought the Station Square original with me as a last-minute substitute for another painting.

It was a sensational moment at an art fair, and I’m very grateful to have found a wonderful home for one of my originals. In fact, I’ve sold eight original pastel paintings since January, and I feel blessed that they’ve all gone to good homes. My next challenge is to paint something new to put on that empty space in my wall… so I guess it’s time to get back to the studio!

PS – I’ll be exhibiting for the first time at the Three Rivers Arts Festival downtown on June 13 and 14. Hope to see you there! Check my calendar for more details

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 been promising you a big announcement for a few weeks now… and the big day has finally arrived!

“Shhhh!” – the first painting in my new “Jolly Old Elf” series of holiday Santa paintings has made its public debut.

The original has already been sold to one of my favorite collectors. Here is what he had to say about the painting…

“The painting, “Shhhh!” takes me back to my early childhood with my thoughts of Santa and who he was for me. The Santa in Linda’s painting is just the way I pictured him – jolly, warm, rosy cheeks, happy and wanting nothing more than to make every little child glad. When I laid eyes on the finished painting, I just had to have it!

It is so festive, bright and true to life. The clever ‘painting within a painting’ was totally ingenious and a special bonus to me as I do not have the original of ‘Waiting for You under Kaufmann’s Clock’. It is as though I have the next best thing! It reminded me of the annual ritual of the ride on Thanksgiving Evening to see the Christmas windows! All in all, I felt a great tinge of nostalgia that makes me want to share it with all who cross my path, and believe me that’s a lot of people!

Linda’s talent with pastels is like no other!” ~ Fr. Richard Yagesh, Bridgeville, PA

“Shhhh!” is the first of five major limited-edition giclee prints in my “Jolly Old Elf” series to be released over the next five years. If you have a soft spot for Santa and would like to add this special painting to your home, start your collection now.

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”.

The one thing in life that is inevitable is change. This week marked the end of an era for me, and I wanted to share that very emotional moment in my life with you.

It feels as if for my whole career I’ve been creating a painting each year for the American Cancer Society’s holiday cards, though actually, it’s only been 16 years since I started in 1998. I always felt it was a way of giving back to the community in gratitude for my art career. I have been so blessed to make a living doing what I love, and I’m proud to have been able to help the ACS raise money to provide everything from vouchers for mammograms to funds for research and prevention.

This week, the American Cancer Society announced that they are ending the holiday card program and moving on to other fundraising vehicles. I was there when the announcement was made, and they honored me for all the years that I created their cards. In the 16 years I have been working with the ACS, my little cards have generated over $750,000 in revenue to help defeat cancer.

And here’s another reason why supporting this program has meant so much to me – it’s how some of you discovered me! The ACS was always kind enough to print my contact information on the back of each card, and it brought me many new friends and followers. This year they will be selling any remaining cards they have in stock during their events, so there will still be a chance to buy some cards and help out this worthwhile cause.

Thank you to all who have supported the American Cancer Society over the years by purchasing my holiday cards. It has been my great pleasure to be a part of this wonderful program for 16 years and to have been chosen to depict my hometown in all of its festive holiday glory.

One more thing… Next week, I’ll have an exciting announcement to share – so stay tuned!

P.S. – Mark your calendars! On Saturday, May 30th and Sunday, May 31st, I will be back on Walnut Street for the first Shadyside Arts Festival of the summer (there will be a second one in August). Can’t wait to see you there! Check my calendar for more details

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”.

Back at last from our relaxing (but also educational) Texas vacation! We explored the beautiful cities of San Antonio and Austin and the surrounding Hill Country, taking tons of photos that may someday turn into gorgeous paintings. So many wonderful things to paint… I think there just isn’t enough time in one lifetime to paint all the wonders our country has to offer. And to think, I haven’t even been off this continent! Imagine how many lifetimes it would take to see the whole world.

But there was no time to rest! We flew in on Thursday and then the very next morning jumped in the car and drove to West Virginia Wesleyan College. It was a very special day for our family, as our daughter Alyssa graduated with her Masters in Special Needs Education with an emphasis in Autism. Despite being a newlywed, working full time, and attending school full time, she earned a spectacular GPA of 3.976! We’re so proud of her wonderful achievements.

We were also delighted to learn more happy news – Alyssa and Jon have decided to move back to Pittsburgh in June. We can’t wait to have our whole family back together again!

So after all that time on the road, our next trip may not have been nearly as long, and the destination was not quite as exciting. But what I really wanted for Mother’s Day was a drive in the country out to Trax Farm in Finleyville… and here’s why:

When we moved into our new home last July, this was our so-called front yard. We were thrilled when our new congregation offered us the gift of their labor and all the ingredients to fill up our “blank canvas.” Over that time, we’ve collected many perennials from friends, and we’ve finished up by making a few special purchases this week. All that’s left to do is put in our annuals and the mulch to finish the picture. We’ve had so much fun “painting” our yard with beautiful plants and flowers. We hope it’s not long before our yard produces plenty of colorful cut flowers to share on Sunday mornings at our church!

Now that I’m home again and settling in, it’s time to step back into the art business. The first painting of my new series is almost ready, and I hope to be able to show you something next week!

P.S. – Come visit me at the Shadyside Arts Festival on May 30th and 31st on Walnut Street. There will be two festivals this year, spring and summer, with the second show being the end of August. I’ll have many of my landscape originals there as well as my Pittsburgh scenes. Check my calendar for more details then mark your calendars!

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”.

Howdy, it’s Linda… Here we are in the Lone Star State, enjoying this beautiful piece of our wonderful country. I envisioned rocks, dessert and cowboy boots, but instead we’re seeing densely lush rolling hills and the beautiful cities of Austin and San Antonio. We’re seeing quaint old-fashioned small towns, and we’re seeing modern cityscapes. Above all, we’re seeing outsized Texas-style welcoming hospitality. Not to mention extremely large cattle, like the one in this picture!

We’re having a wonderful time this week visiting what they call the Hill Country of Texas and enjoying a perfect view of Canyon Lake. Yesterday we drove up toward Austin and ventured into the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. My first thought was, “Wow, I wish I had brought my pastels!” There were vast fields of wildflowers dotted with beautiful blues, yellows, oranges, and pinks. There were grasses swaying gracefully in the wind. And in the distance, there was a tree of unique character, standing amidst all the other trees, yet standing out boldly alone in the sea of color. At that point, I was off in my own little world, wondering how I could paint this scene to bring out those vibrant colors. A photograph just can’t capture colors the same way that your eye does. And how could I strengthen that tree with light and shadow to give it a strong presence in the painting?

One of these days, I think I’ll bring back that memory, and then there will be more than just a photograph to get lost in. Maybe then I’ll create a pastel painting that will delight your eyes with color and relax your mind with tranquility.

This is the reason I have been falling in love with the plein air technique of painting landscapes – you see so much more in person. Then as an artist, you can use your discretion about what to use and what to leave alone in your paintings.

I’m looking forward to telling you more about our adventures deep in the heart of Texas! Until next week…

P.S. – Come visit me at the Shadyside Arts Festival on May 30th and 31st on Walnut Street. There will be two festivals this year, spring and summer, with the second show being the end of August. I’ll have many of my landscape originals there as well as my Pittsburgh scenes. Check my calendar for more details then mark your calendars!

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”.