Laurie Pace - Fine Artist

Beginnings of 'Home on the Ranch' 4 ft by 5 ft  Oil on Canvas This is a commissioned painting for an Appaloosa Ranch owner here in Texas You can follow the progress... Contact me. Laurie   © Laurie Justus Pace     Graphics One Design 2010 The Painting: I posted the sketches of this piece last week and I began it this week. The Thought:    My thought this morning is finding Joy in every moment. Sounds simple but it definitely a daunting task.  Or is it? All the best plans never work as we think they should and not much joy will abound there. When we lose hope we normally lose joy.  The joy can only be found in the release of the "plans and wounds"  that tie us to these worries.  That is not meant to say you are not responsible in this world as we all are responsible to live today as it counts to our commitments and our direction.  The suggestion is to be open to the joy that is already there. He offers up joy in our daily experience an

'Spirit of Fire' 24 x 24  Acrylic on Canvas Contact me to purchase by check or paypal. Laurie     © Laurie Justus Pace     Graphics One Design 2010 The Painting: This was completed yesterday and I love the contrast of the blues and oranges. Make me an offer and I will send it your way. Okay, I do not know why, this blog did not post Saturday morning when I wrote it.... we have been with out internet...so I am going to set this to post for Tuesday morning, but know it was written on Saturday morning. The Thought:       Are you strong and courageous?  Now when it comes to God and the words strong and courageous many things come into play.   God speaks to each of us and encourages us to do certain things in our lives with our gifts.   Many choose not to stop to listen when He is sharing with us, certain in our destiny as we go our own way and not His way. He looks to you to encourage you . Are you listening?  You must count on your personal courage to carry through

'Early Sunflower' 9 x 12 Oil on Canvas This is a perfect Mother's Day gift...   $125 with free Shipping. Contact me to purchase by check or paypal. Laurie     © Laurie Justus Pace     Graphics One Design 2010 The Painting: I posted this earlier this month. The internet has been down here...so this is late being posted today.  The Thought:    Don't Worry, be Happy. I sung that song a bit yesterday when the internet crashed. We have not had good phone lines in three weeks and to lose it too was a bit disrupting.  Finally this morning People's (People's telephone) arrived and 30 minutes later found the two cramped wires causing the issues. YEAH.  Hopefully we are up and running. I lost about an hour yesterday in worry and I should know better, don't worry, be happy.  Terry took us into town for an ice cream and that turned it all around.  Then, remember we just got TV back, I was able to watch Brothers and Sisters last night... Don't w

'The First Race of Spring' 24 x 36  Acrylic on Canvas Contact me to purchase by check or paypal. Laurie   © Laurie Justus Pace     Graphics One Design 2010 The Painting: This is the finish of The First Race of Spring.... brilliant color and lots of action. The Thought:  A hard Days work....my thoughts are here because that is what my dear husband put in yesterday and he was not planning on doing at all what he did.  Early yesterday the Dish TV folks shows up and he hit it right on target for where he moved the pole. The Installer helped clip a few more branches on the trees and presto, an hour later we had TV... first time in over a month. Then Lowe's arrived with the new over the stove microwave and the new dishwasher.  From eleven that morning until nine last night... he worked his fingers numb installing both of these things. He also had to rip out the old things and rebuild part of the cabinets.  There is something special in a hard day of work... the sati

Bits and pieces of Current Painting on the Easel "First Spring Run" 24 x 36  Acrylic on Canvas Watch for the rest of the painting over the next few days... This is one of the four horses on the painting. Contact me to purchase by check or paypal. Laurie  © Laurie Justus Pace     Graphics One Design 2010 The Painting:  This is just a small glimpse of what I am working on right now.   It is a brilliant painting shot full of color and thick layers of acrylic. The Thought:  This morning we were up early in the hot tub again...before dawn and enjoying the sunrise.  Retirement is pretty nice so far!  What comes next today is in His Hands. Have you ever heard the expression,  Are you on the fast track?  What exactly does that mean in today's world?   One ad I saw was referring to fast track of personal fulfillment.  Another was parking at the airport...and yet another was how to "fast track' your fund raising.  Those are but a few things coming up in

'Red Tulips' 16 x 20  Oil on Canvas Sold  Contact me to purchase by check or paypal. Laurie  © Laurie Justus Pace     Graphics One Design 2010 The Painting:  This is an old piece from 2003 or 2004.    I painted today on some commissions pieces...here is a sketch of the 4 ft by 5 ft. but have nothing in color to share. The Thought:   Okay, try this one... You are safe with the Daddy.... Terry and I were outside together working. He was working and I was moral support and leaning against a pole to keep it from falling.  He is putting up a new pole for DISH Satellite.  We have been with out TV since April 3rd.  Life is just not quite the same. As I was leaning against this tall pole as he was tightening brackets...I noted there were seven Daddy long legs on the brick by our bedroom windows.  I was admiring them remembering back to summer camp in New Braunfels TX... church camp on the Guadalupe River,  Slumber Falls. There were Daddy Long Legs  everywhere.  H

'The Call of the Wild Mustang' 24 x 30  Oil on Canvas Contact me to purchase by check or paypal. Laurie    © Laurie Justus Pace     Graphics One Design 2010 The Painting: This one was painted last month and was suppose to ship to the Denver show... I sent The Answer to the Call of the Wild instead... so this one is still available to purchase. The Thought:  The Call ... humm, wonder why my brain went there with this one?   There are many times in our lives we are moved to action by something.  What motivates you? What makes  you go after something?  God already knows that, and He is constantly putting things out there for you, but are you answering the call? My Daddy would tell me to make a list before I answered the call.   My mother would tell me to follow my heart.  There is more risk following my heart but the journey has been incredible. God wants us to take the risk and simply believe in HIM and follow the call.   It is pretty simple and truly with out risk

Block up of flowers of the easel... Contact me to purchase by check or paypal. Laurie    © Laurie Justus Pace     Graphics One Design 2010 The Painting: This is another BLOCK up prep canvas of something to come.  Hydrangea of course. The Thought:  It was a long day yesterday and we got in pretty late with moving Terry's tools from the hanger home to the garage here in Mt Vernon. I took pictures and will try and post them on Tuesday or Wednesday morning.   I had quite a few comments about the storm blog yesterday.  Our storm came in the middle of the night... one of those you can't see coming until you see the lightening on the horizon.  I think the scariest ones for me are the ones that come in the middle of the day. You can be out on the lake sailing like crazy and suddenly the wind dies.... it becomes deathly still and you turn around to darkness descending faster than you can turn that boat to head for shore, tacking back and forth seeking the lost wind... and

'In Awe' 20 x 30  Acrylic on Canvas Contact me to purchase by check or paypal. Laurie     © Laurie Justus Pace     Graphics One Design 2010 The Painting:  Worked on this painting in the dark yesterday. Well it wasn't too dark in my painting area as it opens with six huge windows onto the backyard and the pond!  We had no electricity. It went out in the middle of the night Friday night when a huge storm came through around 2 am. Of course we were a bit unprepared for this storm and we do not have a back up generator. The Thought:   Unprepared for the storm.  Life is good about changing constantly.  No matter how much we try to be prepared for the worst of things (way to often) we are never ready when the storms blow in for their intensity or their duration.  We are unable to prepare to handle the domino affect of strong winds, lightening, and massive amounts of rain.  Destruction, downed wires, fires from the lightening, collapsed homes, fences and downed trees from

'Collecting Shells' 30 x 40  Oil on Canvas New York Crystal Charity Ball Donation for Auction. Raising funds for Diabetes Research.  Contact me for commission work. Laurie    © Laurie Justus Pace     Graphics One Design 2010 The Painting:  Easier to watch! This painting was created to raise funds for Diabetes Research. The Thought:    Do you think it is important to take time for yourself?  Sometimes I think it should be a mantra ... 'TIME FOR ME'.  Of course that is after 'TIME FOR HIM'... and I mean time for God, not for your husband.   I heard some country western song.. . btw, that is all I seem to pick up on my radio here...about a CW singer croaning out the story of 'It's all about you..."  and he wants to say it needs to be about him now as he is weary of the "all about you" syndrome of his girlfriend.   I don't know where he found that woman, but the women in my family are not that way.  We are ca

'Appaloosa' 5 x 7  Oil on Canvas Contact me to purchase by check or paypal. Laurie  © Laurie Justus Pace     Graphics One Design 2010 The Painting: T his is the finished Appaloosa.  I will be doing a large 4 ft by 5 ft commission painting of several Appaloosa.  Stay tuned. The Thought:  What is comfort to you?   I thought about this yesterday morning when we were at the child advocacy center in Winnsboro. Who is out there for our children that fall on hard times? Then my mind went off into the thought of what truly brings comfort to a child? I know at the police station they have teddy bears and special blankets.  What simple faith a child must have to accept a teddy bear from a police officer and feel comfort and to feel safe.  None of us in life are meant to go this journey alone.  His love upholds each of us so we are not alone.  When anxiety hits it is time to take a deep breath and feel Him filling you with pure grace and comfort. God's love is our comf

Prepaint Appaloosa no DP OIL Contact me to purchase by check or paypal. Laurie  © Laurie Justus Pace     Graphics One Design 2010 The Painting:  I continued taking progressive shots with this painting. The Thought:  I promised the tale of the TOTO toilet...not for little ears. It is a very telling tale of the TOTO toilet.  When we moved in here we knew immediately we had to replace the toilet. Not only is it a Potty in a closet (Which is not needed) it was the smallest miniature potty I had ever sat on, and that includes Steve's sailboat toilet. So we did our normal thing and ordered a TOTO toilet from Kitchen Kings in Dallas . We have been buying appliances from them for over 12 years now.  We ordered the same one we put in the last house and it is taller for our taller height.  Morgan was so good to pick it up for us and bring it out last weekend.  He and Terry unloaded it from his truck to the garage for later installation. Terry noted that box was taped s

Prepaint Appy Oil Contact me for commissions. Laurie  © Laurie Justus Pace     Graphics One Design 2010 The Painting: This is the continuation of what I have been working on here in my new studio. Today I think I spent a large part of the time birdwatching at my new feeders.  Cardinals, Blue Jays, Wrens, Robins and in the distance on a tree, a red headed Wood Pecker. The Thought:  When Morgan and Kelly were here they teased us unmercifully about our 'change' .  At first they were dumbfounded as we sat at the lunch table filling them in on all the different birds we had seen... and then driving back into town, describing all the deer and the coyotes etc.  They laughed at us for what our conversation revolved around, nature, birds, deer, fishing, water and sailing.  We have lost our city like drab. No more talk about wrecks, robberies, sirens and police chases.  When we sat at lunch yesterday, Terry and I sat and watched the birds at the feeder for almost an hour e

Pre Paint for Appaloosa Painting No DP Contact me to purchase by check or paypal. Laurie  © Laurie Justus Pace     Graphics One Design 2010 The Painting:  Leah sat and watched me sketch this off early afternoon yesterday .  This is on gesso board and will be done in a new technique I am using.  The sketch is not actually this dark but when I adjusted the photoshop image I brought it out for you to be able to see it. My surface is white and here looks speckled. That is due to the resolution I used. The Thought:  With this move I have not had near the time to dedicate to my painting as in the past . I am leaning toward both technique changes as well as changes in my mediums. I mentioned yesterday how easy it is to settle into  a routine and not vary from it.  The "known" is easy to handle and deal with.  Predictability has been established and routine is followed without a second thought, or even sometimes a first thought.  Letting go of the known and the &#

'Moon Over The Village' 11 x 14  Oil on Canvas Panel This is the second painting from the estate sale...also one of my favorites with all the jewel tone colors. You can contact Clarissa for more information on this painting. Price is $200 or best offer and it is framed. Contact me to purchase by check or paypal. Laurie  © Laurie Justus Pace     Graphics One Design 2010 The Painting:  So soft and peaceful! The Thought:  Fishing.  That is my thought for the morning.  Yesterday Morgan and Kelly arrived with our new TOTO toilet.  I fixed a big lunch of baked chicken, sweet potatoes, corn and homemade cheese and garlic biscuits. OH yes and an OMA salad with everything from a to z in it covered with a delicate raspberry glaze.   It was while we were eating Morgan decided we needed fishing poles so off to the store we went and bought three poles.  Two zebco and one brand I did not know.   After a three hour period of fishing and two rain showers thrown in there

'Sunrise Over the Village' 11 x 14  Oil on Linen Canvas Panel This painting is for sale in an estate sale. I painted it in 2007 and I love painting like this but I do not do many like it any more. I may have to revisit it. If you are called to this piece, contact Clarissa . Price on this is $200 or make a good offer. The Gallery Value is $495 area Contact me for commission work. Laurie  © Laurie Justus Pace     Graphics One Design 2010 The Painting:  A gorgeous piece done several years ago... pattern pulls of a wide brush with contrasting colors. I did a series of seven of these.  Village Lights Series.  Perhaps it is time for a new series! The Thought:  Canopies of trees literally hang over the country roads now that spring has completed her adornment of rebirth.  In our stubborn determination we finally figured out the closest route to Lowe's in Mt Pleasant .  We were driving the southern route west across the northern shores of the lake, and then entering Mt P

'Red Horse'  5 X 7  Acrylic on Canvas Contact me to purchase by check or paypal. Laurie  © Laurie Justus Pace     Graphics One Design 2010 The Painting: I probably am double posting and I do not mean to.   Life is not back to a normal pace yet and I anticipate it will be about two more weeks to finish unpacking and get my studio up and usable again. The Thought:  Early this morning I woke before Terry did and decided I would take a shower. There was quite a distance between my side of the bed, boxes in the room, and the bathroom door.  I am always on the side of the bed not by the bathroom door as he is up often during the night.  So I gingerly slid out of the covers and curled my toes around on the floor seeking my cushy slippers. (You never know what goes across the floor in the dark in a house you are unpacking.)  After what seemed to be an eternity, I found both slippers, pulled them on my feet and pushed off of the bed quietly without leaving a wake.  I began

'Early Sunflowers' 9 x 12  Oil on Canvas Contact me to purchase by check or paypal. Laurie  © Laurie Justus Pace     Graphics One Design 2010 The Painting:  I liked this one as I painted it. It has set me off to explore another approach to the canvas.  I also tried it with a few horse pieces as well.  Watch for them as I finish them up this week.  The Thought:  Jill, a friend for the past few years from blogging made a comment about doctors, prescriptions and life in general in her email to me.  She mentioned she tells her doc to keep it quick and there is only so much money available for the visit.  I had just found out that a basic visit for my doc was $94, and then it escalates with everything you mention in the visit all the way up to $249. Of course with every "mention" there are tests that must be run and with every test, return visits with another basic $94 charge plus anything extra you visit about.    Jill laughingly wrote that her doctor wrote

'Five Hydrangea' 12 x 12  Oil on Canvas Contact me to purchase by check or paypal. Laurie  © Laurie Justus Pace     Graphics One Design 2010 Check out on my left sidebar the VOTE FOR EDDY . This remarkable young man has achieved so much in his young life and when his mom wrote me,  I promised to share the vote to have him apart of the legends team for College Baseball. The Painting:  I worked today on several small paintings and this is one. I always remember NY fondly and the beautiful hydrangea in blues, pinks and whites. The Thought:  When I wrote yesterday about fear, I should have mentioned vulnerability.  That was probably more accurate.  In the hot tub it was more vulnerability than anything else.  Today I was hit with another vulnerable wave of 'where am I in this strange house'.  Conni Togel ( http://www.Charisma-art.com ) told me you cannot dig up and replant old trees.  They just won't make it.  I know Terry and I needed to make this move ou

'Spring Color Reflections' 15 x 30  Oil on Canvas Contact me to purchase by check or paypal. Laurie  © Laurie Justus Pace     Graphics One Design 2010 The Painting: Seems like everything at the lake is brighter in color and the sky is bluer.  I think it is lack of ozone. This is the first pony pull done here... in oil on canvas. Contact me to purchase. The Thought:  Yesterday we drove into Dallas for Doctor appts.  Of course we left in time to catch lunch at Soulman's in Royce City. Terry has talked about this restaurant for years.  I have to admit the chicken I ate was pretty good as was the mac and cheese.   The doc was suppose to be a run in and run out.   Never.  We arrived at 1:15 and left at 5:15.   Dallas Time Dallas Doctors.  Time to switch to a country doc down the road.  By the time we left we had lists of things wrong with us and prescriptions out the wazoo.   We were just there two weeks ago and about two weeks before that. It amazes me how fast acc