Hi! Just wanted to pop in here and say I appreciate your support even through shifting times of writing. I’m currently working on getting my second novel’s draft into the right hands and participating in an art cohort, so Substack has been on the back burner for a bit. But don’t worry, I will pick it back up in September when things simmer and I enter a time of reflection!

That being said, I’ve paused payments until then!

Thanks for reading! Talk to you soon,

Gracey

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It’s been two weeks since Mississippi in the Park and I’ve taken this time to decompress and slow down a bit. It truly was encouraging to see so many southerners show up! If you want to see a recap of the day, I made a little video! You can find it HERE.

Completing the goal also opened the conversation of what’s next, confronting me with questions about …

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If I had a dollar for every time I’ve said “Mississippi in the Park” over the last month, I’d be able to pay rent with it.

It’s just so exciting to have an opportunity to showcase my work in person for the first time, so I can’t stop talking about it! What a gift!

Not to get all mushy over here, but I’m so thankful for this outlet and the Lord’s hand in it all. How ironic that I wanted to leave the South to chase my dreams, but He’s used being from there as a moving force towards my goals even in New York. Praise the Lord for His providence!

Okay, mushy over.

This week has consisted of drawing the last few pieces, framing each one, putting price tags on everything, wrapping the ones unframed, and packing them all into a few boxes to travel as lightly as possible downtown to Pier 64. I’m so thankful to have the best roommate ever, who is ready for the 7 a.m. wake-up call, and my sweet co-worker who is coming from Mississippi to support me!

The last items on the list are buying flowers, making bouquets, and creating a sign so people can find me!

Keeping this short and sweet today, but can’t wait to debrief my NYC artist debut with you here next week!

Thank you for always supporting me and following along!

Talk to you soon,

Gracey

I’m by no means an expert on the West Coast now, but these are my recommendations if you ever find yourself out there:

Tip: Get a petite rental car if you can. It helps with parking!

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I thought it was too good not to dive into the little French boy’s brain and share it here. I hope it amuses you as much as it did us!

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Now I just have to get it all drawn and figure out my setup for the event.

I have 3 weeks.

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This past week, I was in Mississippi, and every time I visit, desires come to the surface. Desires to be closer to family, for a house with a yard, a washing machine, blaring music with my car windows down, even the smell of grass as it starts to rain or certain bushes in my grandmother’s garden. It happens every time, I tear up when I see lush greenery and open fields. I can’t help it.

This visit, the emotions felt stronger. I was coming back to celebrate the marriage of two dear college friends, which meant I’d have a huge reunion with some of my favorite people! It was more fun and sweet than I could have imagined, but more difficult to move on. I stayed an extra few days in the Tupelo office, so that helped. I didn’t have to say goodbye to old friends and old comforts of a southern spring on the same day.

My grandfather’s breakfast feast

It’s difficult, though, because by the end of my visit, I crave my life back in the city. I miss natural excercise, my local church, doing fun things with my friends, and going to see live music, shows, or movies at AMC theaters. I miss the energy and opportunity that can be found if you look for it.

I kept thinking, “There has to be a place that has both nature and city energy.” And if not, the temptation is to avoid going back to the south so I can’t remember what I’m missing, or move out of the city so I forget the wonders of it. But where does that leave me? Miserable and avoidant of two great things.

I saw a Substack note Will Parker Anderson wrote the other day, and it circled my thoughts all week.

“Contentment is less about killing your desires and more about savoring your surroundings.”

I’ll say it again.

“Contentment is less about killing your desires and more about savoring your surroundings.”

So good.

Thankfully, the sweet people around me reminded me that I’ve been given the opportunity to have the best of both worlds by keeping a foot in the south and the city.

I truly believe the Lord knew I would need to keep the connection to familiar roots through this job that He so apparently worked out for me. In His kindness, he’s orchestrated something better than I could have planned, a way for me to be refreshed to do what He’s called me to do in the city (still figuring that out). It’s hard sometimes, but good, and I’m truly grateful even when I forget.

The quote reminded me that I don’t have to cut out the desires for a backyard or a girls’ night out in Manhattan. They are both great desires, but they don’t have to create an overcast while I’m enjoying the opposing.

I get to enjoy the grass while my feet are bare, and the bustle of the city while the sirens blare.

Praise the Lord!

Thank you for reading! Talk to you soon,

Gracey

I have finally recovered from jet lag and collected my thoughts on the best trip to Cape Town! I’m compiling my ideal itinerary for next week in case anyone is interested in visiting.

This week, I thought I’d share 3 favorite things about Cape Town, South Africa:

1. The art scene is huge.

Before we left, my friend and I met with a few people from Cape Town to get recommendations on where to stay, which restaurants to try, and activities to check out during our time there, but no one we spoke to mentioned the art scene. Maybe it’s one of those things where you start thinking about blue cars, and suddenly they’re everywhere, so with my mind occupied with art, naturally, I began to see others making art. Regardless of the reasoning, I quickly realized that no matter where we were in the city, art galleries and studios were ready for onlookers to mosey on through.

The first things I noticed were the number of artists showing at once and the amount of space there was! A dozen different people had work on display in one gallery that spread across three stories of space. The difference in accessibility between NYC galleries and CT is on completely opposite sides of the spectrum, although the talent was to the same caliber. My mind daydreamed about having so much space and freedom to be a part of that artist community. Imagine!

One day, we left the city proper and headed to a beach town called Kalk Bay, where we had breakfast at the iconic Olympia Café, then went upstairs to what seemed like a boutique but turned out to be a modern art gallery. They held ceramics, woven pieces, framed artwork, and more. It was there, Kalk Bay Modern, that I fell in love with the work of South African artists William Kentridge and Simon Stone. Kentridge had lithographs (or ink drawings, hard to discern) of everyday items, and Stone had a few pieces of oil paintings on cardboard. I wanted to fill my suitcase with them all!

Once I got home, I found out that the first Thursday of every month, certain streets are closed for a large art festival, so you better believe I’ll be back for a first Thursday!

2. So many cool brands are locally made, sustainably produced, and women owned.

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Monday, I discovered that I won the Mississippi in the Park art contest, making me this year’s featured artist! Praise the Lord! I’m honored to be a part of such an iconic event this summer!

(You can visit their website for more information about this year’s “family reunion” gathering.)

Now that the winner has been announced, I can include my final submission here.

Mississippi in the Park, 2026

Since finding out, I’ve been brainstorming what I’d like to present at the event, thinking through how many pieces I should make, whether I should find frames for them ahead of time, and what the subject matter will be. I could present New York drawings, the park, more storefronts, or unusual scenes that just make sense in the city.

I once saw an electrician changing a stoplight in the middle of Times Square. Of all the blinding lights surrounding us, a simple red light was receiving special attention. I thought it would make for an interesting drawing.

However, this group of event goers will know the Mississippi references, and when else could I bring a piece of home to the city through art? That’s what Mississippi in the Park is all about. I landed on this yesterday when I passed a newly cut lawn in Central Park, and the smell alone reminded me of a Mississippi summer day. Filling my lungs to their limit, I smelled a hint of hose water and the melting nylon of a slip n slide. Suddenly, I was transported.

Heat.

Banana popsicles.

Bare feet.

Sticky grass.

Summer cicadas.

Growing up, I confused cicadas with the sound of heat itself, made by the blurry waves radiating off the black asphalt roads. Days I heard long, agonizing croaks meant a body of water was necessary if we wanted to be outside.

A slip n slide was always a fun option to cool off, and popsicles were required to restore lost energy from flinging our bodies to the ground in hopes of sliding like a penguin to the very end.

So there I was, in Central Park, dreaming of banana popsicles and the sound of summer.

I’ve decided Mississippi scenes will be my focus for this event. There might be a few New York pieces in the mix, but family reunions are about being reunited with kin, sharing stories to remind each other, and including those who weren’t there to experience the fun. I think I’d like to invite scenes of the South to join the party; the landscape feels like family anyway.

I’ll be in Mississippi in May for a wedding, and what better way to get reacquainted with friends and family? My sketchbook will be the first thing I pack.

Thanks for reading! Talk to you soon,

Gracey

I remember discussions about career paths and not knowing exactly what job I wanted. Even then, my eyes were set on running a creative business someday, but “artist” seemed vague and unattainable at the time. (Full-time artist still feels unattainable for my twenties, but taking it little by little.) Some classmates already knew their vocation, doctors or lawyers, while others found themselves in the same situation, unsure of what job they should pursue.

Our teacher reassured us that by the time we were searching for full-time jobs, new professions would be available that didn’t exist when we were in fourth grade.

She was right. Who could have guessed that I’d be working in social media, a virtual version of society, connecting people from around the world? Who saw influencer marketing coming? Not me.

Facebook would have been four years old at the time of this conversation, and I’d have to wait another three years to come of age to download it. Instagram wasn’t in the picture for another two years, so social media was hardly on my radar. That was until I started making and selling clothes and jewelry, and realized Instagram could reach people outside of my small town.

In 2017, I started posting consistently, reaching out to people who had a natural following because their photos were curated, and that’s what people wanted back then. I hosted giveaways and collaborated with other small businesses to gain followers from all over the south. Before “content creator” was a job title, I was reaching out to girls and gifting necklaces or fur coats in exchange for a post on their Instagram and gaining hundreds of followers from it.

I’m no expert, and I don’t have a big following on social media, but the words “social media and influencer marketing” are in my job title, so I have learned a thing or two about both sides. I know it can cost businesses a lot for content these days. The most a creator has asked for in exchange for one branded Instagram video was 100k. (Spoiler: we didn’t agree to it.)

Needless to say, businesses can no longer trade a necklace for a post, so that’s why I’ve had to be a bit more strategic when it comes to marketing my art on social media. I have no marketing budget, so free exposure is always welcome.

It helps living in New York City, the hub for creators.

People are fascinated by the city, the history, the architecture, the food, and the level of talent in the arts which is hard to compete with. The intrigue of the city sets the perfect stage for anyone to gain a following, regardless of who they are or what they do.

An attractive guy who runs after work and drinks beer? He’s now an influencer for Guinness.

A cute girl who likes to travel and wear fun clothes? She’s now an influencer for a rental fashion company.

Social media has created jobs that didn’t exist before.

I even discovered that restaurants have social media followings. After drawing my New Year’s Eve celebration at Nightly’s, I decided to tag them in case they wanted to see it, too. I’m not sure they ever saw it, but it led me into a new realm of Instagram accounts.

I loved capturing the charm of the place so much that I decided to start a collection and tag the business’s Instagram account in the post. If they wanted to repost my drawing for all of their followers to see, lovely. No harm if not.

More often than not, they do repost my artwork on their Instagram story, helping us both out. It provides them with free content (also known as user-generated content that can cost businesses a pretty penny) and my work free exposure. I’m not gaining thousands of followers like some of these Instagram artists out there are, but I’ve enjoyed connecting with the owners (if only virtually) and fellow New Yorkers who admire the businesses I’ve drawn. In fact, a few are interested in the pieces, so without further ado, I’m releasing my first collection of New York City storefront drawings on Monday, April 6th!

My Instagram account @artbygraceym highlights all the inspiration behind each drawing, and my website artbygraceym.squarespace.com will update with available pieces on Monday morning, so be sure to follow along! As always, paid Substack subscribers will have first access to anything I do, so if you see a piece on Instagram you’d like, I’ll happily put it on hold ahead of the drop, just shoot me a message in the comments of this post.

It’s funny how my fourth grade teacher predicted that some of our jobs didn’t even exist at the time, and who knows, maybe my job in another 15 years doesn’t exist yet. I’ll just have to wait and see. I’m excited to see how the Lord will tie it all together! Thanks for coming along for the ride and for reading!

Talk to you soon,

Gracey

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That was until I found out I was dealing with leaky gut. Now I won’t get into it here; it’s a long story about health issues, and so on. Essentially, I found out I am intolerant to more foods than just being allergic to gluten. Lovely.

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Let me explain.

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Last year’s event was a stepping stone in rebuilding what it once was; despite the relocation and rain, it endured, and this year’s is on track to build more momentum. I know this because I happened to meet a woman on the board.

She was the first person I met in the church book club I mentioned in the post titled “Art and Faith.” I walked in, thinking it was a book study I’d been to before, and quickly realized I was mistaken. The club was not this one-off study I hadn’t been to in months; it was a monthly occurrence, where everyone knew each other, and then there was me. I searched faces for familiarity and found none, so I sat in an open seat and began speaking to the woman next to me. It was the usual, “How long have you lived in the city? Where are you from?” conversation, and familiarity registered at the sound of a repressed southern twang in her voice, only resurfacing in her response of, “Tupelo, Mississippi.”

“You’re joking! I have family there, and the company I work for is based out of Tupelo.”

She’s on the board for Mississippi in the Park. I don’t remember how this came up, but it did, and I couldn’t believe my ears. What are the odds? She expressed their hopes for this upcoming year, and I said I’d be there on June 6th. She also mentioned that there would be an art competition for a refreshing graphic design for this year’s event. I told her about my drawing and that I would definitely participate in the competition.

This year’s theme is family reunion, so the competition is to create a graphic that represents a family reunion in the park. The graphic must be in no more than three colors and is due March 31st. With these guidelines, I began brainstorming. I texted my grandmother, asking her about her reunions with 100+ attendees. What food do they eat? Could she send me pictures? Did they have any activities or competitions? etc.

Food was one of the biggest focuses of a reunion, other than the conversations had over the meal, where they catch up with loved ones, both close and distant. With her help, I decided a table of food would be my focus for the drawing, but the constraint of three colors would be tricky. Until it dawned on me.

I’ve babysat for a few families while in New York. The first family had kids who grew up in the city. They had southern ties, and we had plenty in common, but their childhood was far from the way I grew up, including the way their homes were decorated. I’m used to the southern grandmother chic aesthetic, so the home being completely white, from the boy’s basketball net on the back of his bedroom door to the ceramic artwork displayed beautifully in each corner, was a bit shocking.

Then I was asked to sit in for a family I’d met at church who moved from the South. They, too, had ceramics on countertops, but theirs was immediately comforting. It was McCarty pottery, and seeing that in a New York apartment made me feel right at home.

The impact McCarty pottery has had on the world is grand. The story alone is historically rich and fascinating, so you have to read more about it here if you’re unfamiliar. To go full circle for me, the first clay used to make McCarty pottery was found in the back of William Faulkner’s house, which was the first pastel drawing I ever drew, one of the few things I brought with me to the city, the other being my own collection of McCarty pottery. It’s in the little things.

McCarty pottery is iconic for its three signature colors: nutmeg brown, jade, and cobalt blue. Some collectors stay exclusive, committing to a color for life (my mother’s is cobalt blue, and I’ve chosen the same), while others enjoy an assortment of the three colors. If my drawing were to only have three colors, I would choose brown, green, and blue as a nod to McCarty pottery.

In addition to using the colors, I added a McCarty vase to the tablescape because every Southern table of food must have a flower arrangement. The vase is recognizable by its signature Mississippi River squiggle that flows down each ceramic piece.

The state flower, magnolias, makes my drawing complete. They curve into a welcoming canopy over the table of chicken, sweet tea, rolls, and pound cake, which are all family reunion essentials.

First sketch of my vision

Whether I win the competition or not, I’ve become quite attached to this piece, and due to my multiple attempts to make it just right, I now have a small collection of them that I’d love to open to the public someday. We’ll see how this story unfolds.

Thank you for reading! Talk to you soon,

Gracey

The original plan was a few nights with my sister, then meet my NYC friends for a beach weekend a few minutes down the road. We had an early flight scheduled for Sunday morning, so the girls’ trip was two full days and three nights. Until the blizzard came out of nowhere, and no flights were landing in NYC until Wednesday.

Our two-day trip turned into a five-day stay at the beach, as we accidentally avoided the blizzard and soaked up sun-rays that our skin hadn’t seen in months (I immediately got a rash from the sun because it was so foreign to my normally bundled-up body).

Thankfully, our employers understood the cancelled flights and accepted working from home, or in our case, from the beach house. How wild is it that we could all manage our different jobs in the same room! I loved having work-from-home buddies!

Our unintentional blizzard escape was bliss. We went on walks to the beach before logging on for work, grabbed delicious lunches between meetings, and finished the day at 5 rather than 6, as we’re used to. Every night ended with dinner around the table, followed by watching a show with newly washed hair, PJs, and eye masks on. It’s the little things.

It was so perfect that we fell into a routine, which I will share with you here.

How to have the perfect blizzard escape in Florida:

• Wake up early, throw on a few layers, and enjoy a walk to the beach

• Turn on a John Mayer/Jack Johnson playlist and set the tv to Parisian cafe on YouTube

• Log on to work and lock in, crank out projects or meetings

• Order a tuna poke bowl from Chirnigo or an acia bowl from Raw & Juicy

• Have someone pick it up

• Eat lunch outside in the sun and go for a walk back to the beach

• Change the music to Sombr “Home wrecker” because it’s stuck in everyone’s head anyway

• Lock back into work

• 3 pm cornhole break

• Finish up the work day

• Log off at 5

• Either cook dinner together, order takeout from Pizza By the Sea, or try a new place like Gallions (the tuna dip is the best). Regardless, share a meal sitting around a table. I realized I don’t do that often enough

• Clean up dinner, take turns showering, and put on PJs and eye masks

• Join everyone on the couch and turn on the new JFK Jr. show, Love Story, until you’re caught up. If you’re in the mood for a movie, I suggest a Nancy Meyers movie, It’s Complicated, Something’s Gotta Give, or Father of the Bride

Go to bed, wake up, and repeat. Throw some mahjong in there at some point, and you’ve got the perfect blizzard retreat.

Thank you for reading! Talk to you soon,

Gracey

I’ve been in Florida this week visiting my sister and niece, and I kid you not, within the first 24 hours, I shed a few joyful tears 4 different times. I’d forgotten how easy it can be to open the front door and be on grass, to feel the sun shine on your face until it hides behind a tree as opposed to a skyscraper robbing you of another 30 minutes before sunset. It’s the little things.

The morning I left New York (early, early morning), it was snowing. Don’t get me wrong, it was beautiful, redeeming even, making the piles of dirty, smelly snow that line the streets appear pure again. The snow isn’t all that bad, and I’d die on the hill that a city winter is better than a city summer. It’s cozy, full of cooking, coffee shops, and movies, but getting a taste of such beautiful nature and warm weather has been a gift.

And it got me thinking.

The weather is one item on the long list of comparisons between living in Florida and the city. It’s an interesting observation to see how two sisters who lived the same way for 18 years have such different life seasons now.

My sister is married

I’ve been on one Hinge date

My sister is raising a baby

Again, Hinge date numero uno

They own a few local restaurants

I work fully remotely and make art

They’re considering building a house

I pay NYC rent

Her friends are married

My friends go on Hinge dates

Her friends also have babies

Unsuccessful hinge dates

It’s also cool to see the similarities in our different lifestyles.

Her friends live so close

My friends live so close

They go on lots of walks

We walk a lot

She’s figuring out how to live with others under the same roof

Same here

We’re both navigating new seasons of life and thankful to have the other’s support in whatever form that looks like.

The one thing she has that I don’t, that would make my life complete, would be my own washing machine, but the grass isn’t always greener. In all seriousness, being content is the challenge, but also what brings the most joy. Both of our seasons are good. Both are good for us. Hard, wonderful, cold, hot, chaotic, and perfect for us.

Thank you for reading! Talk to you soon,

Gracey

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I resorted to painting my own, and thankfully, my roommates were on board with it. I started putting my spin on the art I saw on Pinterest, but after a while, I began experimenting with my own style, one I’ve come to realize originated long before I picked up an oil pastel stick last year. (Read more about the origin HERE.)

My style originated at my childhood summer camp, where I was desperate to capture the magic without access to a camera, so I was left to draw my surroundings in hopes of remembering every experience. Even though I now have cameras at my fingertips, I find my drawings capture the life and energy of the moment more like a film camera, relaying the colors, ambiance, and feeling better than anything digital can.

That’s my goal, to capture the true feelings of living. I hope my drawings freeze the joy, chaos, warmth, bitterness, curiosity, and energy of New York City as I’m presently experiencing it, all the while keeping the child-like wonder alive.

Selling my pieces wasn’t necessarily on my radar, which is surprising since most of my creative endeavors as a teenager ended up with a new Instagram account or Etsy page so I could pay for my creations by selling them. It wasn’t until I began gifting my drawings that others encouraged me to continue practicing and open them up to the public.

The idea thrilled me, but I had some decisions to make. Would I sell prints? What is my price range? Do I create a website? Do I make another Instagram? Are galleries of interest? How do you even approach the subject? What about art fairs? And the list goes on.

Here’s what I’ve decided.

• Because I admire original works, I will not be providing prints. I believe it increases the value of the piece, creating a sense of intimacy for the buyer to choose the only one of its kind.

• With that being said, it raises the cost a bit since there will be no replicating it. (I’ve found it much harder to part with them as well).

• I have created a website for ease of managing payments and shipping details, and shifted my little things Instagram account to my art account.

• I’m still figuring out if I want to do art fairs or shows. The possibilities excite me!

It all excites me and unnerves me at the same time. What if nothing sells? Then nothing sells. At least my walls are full of stories that I can transport to whenever I please. I’ll keep making art.

What if it does? Then it does. My walls will be empty. I’ll keep making art, in the hopes that they will eventually hang on the walls of another and bring some joy into a new home.

Either way, I’ve enjoyed my January full of oil pastel drawing, and I have officially launched my website! As always, I appreciate your support, whether through kind words of encouragement or following the many, many Instagram accounts I’ve had throughout the years. Thank you for supporting me, it means the world!

If you’re interested in purchasing an original drawing, you can find my website HERE.

Thank you for reading! Talk to you soon,

Gracey

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“I can’t believe that just happened,” Gray whispers as she and Louise rush back to their apartment. “Thanks for helping out.”

“I just asked a simple question,” Louise winks.

The girls giggle the rest of the way while Gray talks off her adrenaline. She can’t believe it worked out better than she hoped!

She and Miller agree on a time and subway entrance over text, so once showered and confident in a cute, comfortable dress and sneakers, Gray heads out the door to meet him in Bryant Park. She arrives in the people-filled area, searching for her new acquaintance, and suddenly, every New York City movie feels realistic. They had the perfect guy—girl meet-cute, then the what-to-wear-montage, and finally the butterflies as they search for each other in a crowded area, soon to feel as though they are the only two people in the world.

Don’t get ahead of yourself.

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