Music Was My First Language Music was my first language — long before art ever took the lead. As a teenager and into my twenties, I traveled with my guitar always close, tucked safely in its case and resting in my lap on buses and airplanes. It went everywhere with me. It wasn’t a question — it was simply part of who I was. © Laurie Pace Graphics One Design 2026 One of my favorite memories still makes me smile. Coming home from church camp in New Braunfels, Texas, guitar in hand. If the bus wasn’t crowded, the music would start. Someone would sing, someone else would hum, and before long the whole space would feel lighter. Music has a way of doing that — it gathers people without asking permission. Over the years, I’ve played piano, guitar, organ, harp… and yes, even a harmonica I taught myself during Covid. I’ve taught children music and art, and while I’m not teaching right now, the music has never stopped living inside me. Classical, Ir...
Letting Go of Control with a Palette Knife Exercise. This was a small, wild palette knife painting — not my normal way of working, but a fun and freeing adventure. We taped off a page into small sections, about 2 x 3 inches each. Using a palette knife with oil paint, we dragged paint across, through, up, and down the surface. No planning. No fixing. No control. And that was the point. © Laurie Pace Graphics One Design 2026 Texture Oil Exercise It was surprisingly freeing because the brain simply cannot take over in this kind of exercise. There is no time to think — only to respond. I can’t imagine doing this on a large canvas and feeling as loose as I did working small. This is also a wonderful exercise in color choice. Mine weren’t the best, but for a first attempt, I now understand the importance of pre-thinking color relationships before beginning. What does this teach us in the studio? Not to try to control everything. I have a lot pulsing through my th...