Who is that person in the mirror?
Something about the eyes looks familiar but I am not sure who she is today, but the memories of yesterday linger. I have to trust God will guide this day.
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| Laurie in Penn Yan New York 2006 |
Reflections of the room give clues as to the time and place in this photo.
A trip to New York.
A trip to our first gallery show as The Five Graces.... who did we become as artists since then?
The Five Graces were brought together through mutual respect and love for each other and our careers in painting.
I had never met these women before in person until that summer of 2006, yet we knew each others hearts by the three prior years of friendship and evolution with our art journeys.
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| Dr Billie Bauman, Gallery owner, Laurie and Conni Togel |
Dr Billie Bauman hosted The Five Graces for their opening show in her gallery in New York and in that week, I met four new sisters I had never seen before. My heart recognized them before my eyes did.
Billie made number four because Debbie Lincoln and I go back to high school days together. We had been separated by the 'adult' years ....almost 35 years later and here we were together in New York meeting our new sisters.
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| Wine on the porch just before the show, Conni and Debbie. |
Memories of the gorgeous bed and breakfast where we stayed...
Memories of late night boat rides on the nearby Lake Keuka...
Memories of special meals at fabulous restaurants...
Memories of exploring the beautiful quilt shops and museums...
Memories for a life time between five artist who became tied together as sisters of the heART.
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| Mary Jo and Conni kick back enjoying the week. |
From the Pacific coast, to Park Cities Utah, to Texas and east to South Carolina... we all packed up and shipped over 150 paintings total and met each other in New York.
Friendships of the Internet and of old coming together, and now in 2011, we embrace our changes in life and career and celebrate the love we have for each other. Looking in the mirror we might wonder where the outside beauty of youth disappeared to, but inside our hearts beat strong in just knowing... knowing we are there for each other in this journey. Knowing someone will answer a frantic email at three in the morning or a hysterical phone call when the world seems to be crashing down. We are all grounded in Christ and the prayer links that bind us are powerful.
Who are The Five Graces?
Debbie Grayson Lincoln (the steady grace), Laurie Pace (the heartbeat grace), Conni Tögel (the wired grace), Diane Whitehead (the business-minded, directly spoken grace) and Mary Jo Zorad (the quietly inspired grace) have as many similarities as they do differences. Their artwork demonstrates a common commitment to a high standard of workmanship. To speak with any one of the five women reveals a commonality in what inspires them and how they choose to live their lives, with integrity and a commitment to doing their work for a higher cause. Each feels her creative inspiration as a passionate and natural calling.
Visit our website...www.the5graces.com
We carried on with our friendship and decided to spread our mentoring and carrying to artists world wide.
We joined together with Kimberly Conrad and created www.ContemporaryFineArtInternational.com
I love you all...
Words from my heart,
Laurie
John 15:12-15 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
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