Brush Strokes of Life © Laurie Pace Graphics One Design 2026 Have you ever stood just inches away from a painting? Up close, all you see are individual brush strokes. Some are bright. Some are dark. Some seem completely out of place. Only when you step back does the picture begin to make sense. Life often feels that way. The image above is only a small section of one of my larger paintings. Looking closely, you'll find brilliant colors beside deep shadows. Every stroke matters. I believe our lives are painted much the same way. Each day adds another brush stroke. Some are filled with joy. Others are painted with grief, uncertainty, or waiting. While we're living those moments, we rarely understand why they are there. But God sees the entire canvas. Looking back over my own life, I can now see that the unexpected moments often became the ones that shaped me the most. As I begin sharing more stories in Brush Strokes of Life, I hope you'll dis...
My First Real Job Was at Neiman Marcus © Laurie Pace Graphics One Design 2026 Threads of Grace 1969 Most people are surprised when I tell them my first real job was at Neiman Marcus, but the story actually began years earlier. At fourteen, I was modeling at the Dallas Apparel Mart during Market for a couture company from New York. Being a jazz dancer gave me confidence, posture, and the ability to quickly change outfits and return to the showroom floor. Without realizing it, I was learning professionalism at a very young age. (I worked markets for years to come.) When I turned sixteen, I applied for what I thought would be my first "real" job as a waitress. I didn't get it. I came home discouraged, wondering what had gone wrong. The next Sunday morning, while reading the want ads in the Dallas Morning News, one listing caught my attention. Neiman Marcus was looking for a clothing model for their advertising illustration department. I gathered my fashion sk...