Discovering Meaning in the Layers:
©Laurie Pace Graphics One Design 2026
by Laurie Pace
Palette Knife Painting and the Journey of Faith
There is something deeply revealing about working in layers — both in life and on the canvas. When I paint with a palette knife, the first layers are often nothing more than color, movement, and instinct. Thick paint is laid down, scraped back, and pushed forward again. At that stage, nothing is fully formed yet, but everything matters. Those early marks create a foundation for what is to come, even if they are eventually hidden beneath later layers. There is a word spelled out in the blue section. What is it?
This is the beauty of painting abstractly with a palette knife — letting go, trusting the process, and allowing discovery to happen. Color choices, movement, and texture lead the way. Much like life itself, the journey matters as much as the outcome. The finished painting holds within it every decision, every scrape, and every hidden layer, creating something richer and more meaningful than what was first imagined.
As the painting develops, discoveries happen. Accidental marks emerge, unexpected colors peek through, and shapes begin to suggest themselves. What once seemed unimportant becomes essential. That process mirrors our own lives — the lessons learned, the experiences endured, and the moments we don’t fully understand at the time. Tied into my faith is the belief that nothing is accidental with God. Even when we can’t see it yet, there is purpose forming beneath the surface, revealed only as time and layers unfold.
The word that appeared above...Some marks are made by adding paint, others by taking it away. The rest is left for the eye to discover. I will share the full painting at a later date! Elle
abstract palette knife painting, oil painting layers, Christian artist faith and art, abstract oil painting process, palette knife impasto, contemporary abstract artist, studio painting journey, discovering meaning through art
Follow the Spirit of the Paint... with Laurie Pace
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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