The Textures in Our Lives In the studio a few weeks ago, I finished a small palette knife painting built with thick, directional strokes of oil paint. The paint rises from the panel. It catches light. It shifts as you move around it. It is not smooth. It is alive. © Laurie Pace Graphics One Design 2026 Colors of the Sky Oil on Canvas SOLD by Laurie Pace Yesterday, driving home beneath clearing storm clouds, I was struck again by contrast. The deep blue sky stretched wide and quiet — almost flat in its purity. But the clouds were sculptural mounds of white tinged with gray, layered and dimensional. They looked textured. Yet if we touched them, there would be nothing to hold. That tension fascinates me. I love texture. Not just in painting — but in life. The softness of rose petals against the jagged rocks surrounding the garden beds. The grit of sand. The strength of mountain stone. The s...
A Texas Longhorn Painted in Layers I’m featuring today a commissioned Texas Longhorn painting created for a collector in Dallas. © Laurie Pace Graphics One Design 2026 LONGHORN Commission by Laurie Pace The project began with an in-home visit where we discussed scale, placement, and the role the artwork would play among his collection of original art. He had an amazing collection of art! After measuring the space and finalizing the size, the journey continued back to my studio in East Texas. The painting developed slowly through layers of bold color applied with a palette knife. Depth, light, and contrast emerged as colors crossed and built upon one another. Throughout the process, I shared progress photos so the client could follow the evolution of the Longhorn from sketch to finished canvas. Midway through the process, the client surprised me by visiting the studio to see the work in person. Watching hi...