Then he told me he wanted me to see the red moon. But not to stay outside long because of the danger of the sun—which, considering it was 4:15 in the morning, left me with a few questions...
©Laurie Pace Graphics One Design 2026
Face With In- the beginnings
Oil on Canvas SOLD by Laurie Pace
At 4:15 this morning, a long beep woke me.
Terry was already in the kitchen making coffee and wanted me to see the red moon. I made myself a cup of hot tea, crawled back into bed, and began going through old photographs on my computer.
Instead of simply cleaning out files, I found myself walking backward through years of paintings.
And something happened.
I began seeing my work differently.
I saw strength I had forgotten was there. Color. Courage. Paintings where I trusted myself enough to follow an idea without knowing exactly where it would lead.
Then I came across Face Within.
I loved the beginning of this painting. I still do. The face had something—the color, the light, those unexpected blues and greens moving through her skin.
But I couldn't figure out what the rest of the painting needed.
So instead of waiting, I changed direction. I turned the canvas. I drew another face. I added paint and pushed and pushed until eventually the painting became something entirely different.
Looking at those photographs this morning, I wondered:
What if I didn't need to know?
Maybe I could have left what I loved alone while I waited for the rest to reveal itself.
Life can be that way, too.
We encounter something unfinished or painful and immediately want to make it better. We work harder. We search for answers. We try another direction.
Sometimes that is exactly what we're called to do.
And sometimes perhaps God is asking us to leave something alone for a while—to trust Him with the parts we cannot resolve and continue faithfully with the parts He has given us to live.
I am learning there is a difference between giving up and letting go.
And perhaps there is grace in not knowing what comes next.
Unfinished does not mean failed. You must read the full blog today to understand fully the context. There are process photographs you are going to want to see.
Sometimes it simply means the story isn't ours to finish yet. Elle
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Laurie Pace, Elle Pace, Face Within, Threads of Grace, artist journey, artist process, painting process, expressive portrait painting, portrait art, contemporary portrait, colorful portrait painting, creative process, trusting the process, faith and art, Christian artist, God and creativity, letting go, finding purpose, creative courage, life lessons, artist reflections
Google description:
Artist Laurie Pace reflects on Face Within, an unfinished artistic direction that became a lesson about creativity, letting go, trusting God, and learning that we don't always need to know what comes next.
• self-interest vs selflessness • New Year Christian reflection • faith and relationships • humility in relationships • God’s calling to serve
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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