©Laurie Pace Graphics One Design 2023
A Swirl of Dreams
24 x 24 x 1.5 Oils on Canvas
by Laurie Pace
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Shop other Available Artwork.
This painting, A Swirl of Dreams, is in the holding process! Meaning I worked on it two or three weeks, adding layer after layer and I think I am done, but I have to watch it for a few days!
Every child, and especially little girls, like to twirl and swirl in circles. The world blurs to colors and light and creates a joyful place to dream.
Do you Dream?
I always was a dreamer and I loved to read... today I have been diving into a book called 27,000 Steps by Sara Thurman... it is an Epic Marriage Story guided in faith by leaving a legacy. The book is linked to Amazon if you click it.
I am only four chapters in and somehow at the same time reading an article about ... are you ready?
The Power of Narrative to Heal by James Sale. It appeared in last weeks Epoch Times Newspaper we subscribe to.
"1. What was the story the world you grew up in TOLD you of who you should become?
2. What was the story you TOLD of yourself of Who you should become.
3. What's the story life now TOLD you of who you are today? "
Combining the beginning narrative of the book above by Sara with the article has been powerful. James believes writing a self narrative we can unlock potential and be more aware of negative self narratives. James has quite a following and has published fifty books. I will be finishing Sara's book while exploring the three questions above. I am concerned that many of us, including myself, often allow a negative voice inside of us to affect us.
As my belief is with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, it is the Holy Spirit that guides me from within. I have had bad times with bad choices, but at the same time, the inner Spirit has led me to extraordinary places I had never dreamed of. As a young young girl, I always wanted to be an artist.
Example.. at age 16, the summer between my junior and senior year, I went out to get a job like ALL my friends were doing. My parents felt it was time to test the waters. I eagerly applied at a large department store to work in their lunch room that served elegant meals and teas to the women that shopped each day. Naively, I filled out the application with a check that I had scoliosis and for that they refused to hire me. I was five foot nine and about 110 pounds and dang... just being honest.
I was heartbroken when I got home. I could not get a job waiting tables!!!
The only place I had worked before was at the Apparel Mart in Dallas. I was 14 years old at this time. My mom's best friend worked there every market and I could ride down with her. I was hired by a high couture line out of New York City and from that time forward I had been working at Market four times a year. YES the clothes were awesome and samples could be had!!! What 14 year old would not want to do that. Still the weekend was long with the failure of not waiting tables... BUT Sunday morning at the breakfast table, I saw an ad for an artist model at Neiman Marcus. Back in those days, they drew the ads.
I was excited because I had been imitating and doing fashion illustration on my own since I was about 10 years old. I LOVE IT. *Later it would become my major in college. In I went on that Monday morning with my own drawing portfolio with me. There were at least six or more 'older' women in there and I waited my turn, but I showed the receptionist my portfolio... proudly! (It had nothing to do with the job.) I was called into the back studio and given two outfits to try on... and to come out and see the artist after I was dressed. I did... and she said, "strike a pose".... After the past two years and 8 markets under my belt modeling... I DID... and she drew me and then said, "get the other outfit on.".. and back I went and out I came within a min and a half. She smiled drew me in three poses the second time. Then she said, you are hired. I worked the entire summer 8 hours a day, five days a week and I worked my entire senior year and the next summer only taking one course at school and heading to Neiman Marcus everyday by bus to downtown Dallas. My wardrobe was something to only dream of, and never had one that good since! In the photos I have below... I wore every outfit and posed as she put them together. Yes, I wore hats and wigs to change up the look. DO you know how fun this was??? We often did six to eight poses a day... with each pose lasting 15-30 minutes. She allowed me to help her as I learned how it all worked. WOW WOW WOW!!!
God had something for me even better than I imagined. My faith really rooted strongly through my teens. Between prayer and admiring the example of my own father for achieving and working as he did, I had a strong core and perhaps a stubborn streak. He taught me early as I left for college, not to write letters to them about "ME" or "I"... He strongly wanted me to write about things and people and look beyond myself. He was a Wash U graduate from St Louis. I believe God wants us to do the same in our lives to look beyond ourselves and go forth with steady faith. We begin to grow outside of our selves and achieve where we are planted to do so. It is not about us... happiness is found in serving others. Life is not always a fairy tale. I have had major challenges, but remain steady in my faith and today facing choices I need to make and still in prayer waiting... waiting on the Lord.
My narrative as a teen would have never been to do what I did, I wanted to draw and be the artist. What I did actually opened many doors in my future helping others along the way. Believe in His presence and believe the path will be found.
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. " READ THE ENTIRE SECTION: John 14: 15-31
Follow the Spirit of the Paint... with Laurie Pace
Laurie Pace - A Texas Artist
Laurie is an international artist, her paintings are collected in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Germany, DuBai, Portugal, Italy, France, Germany, the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Poland, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, St Thomas, Romania, Greece, Croatia, and Ecuador.
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© Graphics One Design 2023
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