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Five Conveniently Located Offices Across Metro Atlanta: Carrollton | Fayetteville | McDonough | Newnan | West Cobb

Publishers

Editor

Elizabeth

Creative Director Sonya Studt

Graphic Designers

Contributing

Contributing

Emily Hernandez

Erin Scott

Lisa Gentry

Melissa Jackson

Jennifer London

Robin Stewart

Sara Moore

Beth Neely

Advertising Manager Misha Benson

Digital Marketing Specialist Sarah Reeves

As the foundation for your lower body’s movement, the foot, and its numerous bones,ligaments, tendons, and muscles can be a source of signi cant joint pain.

Our ankle and foot surgeon has completed additional training speci cally in the foot and ankle to assess, diagnose, and treat your foot injury or condition individually to your needs.

No Heart without Art

In the bathroom at a former gas station in Grantville, I recently read this among quotations adorning the bathroom door: “Earth without art is Eh.”

That former gas station is now a bustling art studio where AJ Sears teaches pottery making. From newbies to increasingly skilled artists, her clients become part of the Mud Haven family, see page 36.

And that’s what the Arts in Coweta County seem to have in common: Where there’s art, there’s a family bound by creativity, a community founded on the notion that art is beneficial – that, perhaps, there’s no heart without art.

At Backstreet Arts in Newnan, the community of creators includes people who come to flex their creative muscle by painting, sewing, making stained glass or learning to play the ukulele, among other endeavors.

A firm believer that “art saves lives,” Backstreet Arts Founder Kim Ramey certainly would agree there’s little chance of finding heart without art. It’s why she invites newcomers to paint a heart, a universal symbol for love. Dozens upon dozens of small canvases with colorful hearts line the walls at Backstreet, where art brings healing and happy hearts, see page 20.

Newnan’s Hillary Keene uses her home as a canvas on which she creates artfully minded interior designs, often with thrift store finds that cost pennies but look like a million bucks, see page 26. Jessica Majka, owner of Atelier at 20 Perry in Newnan, practices the mindful art of yoga with her clients in a space that’s punctuated by the artistry of design, see page 32. And the kids at Steppin’ Out Performing Arts practiced their own artistry of dance last Christmas on an excursion to New York City, see page 49.

For more expressions of creativity, learn in Coweta Cooks, on page 58, how to bake and make dishes that look good enough to display but are equally good to eat. And arrange your own artful container gardens with detailed instructions in Coweta Garden, on page 53.

It would be remiss of me not to mention what our columnists bring to this issue: Faith Farrell will make you LOL with her essay on page 18, and Toby Nix will leave you with lots to think about long after you’ve closed this magazine. Don’t miss his thoughtful contribution on page 66.

Also, don’t forget to vote in this year’s Newnan-Coweta Magazine Best of Coweta Readers’ Choice Awards. The ballot with instructions begins on page 42. Your vote gives your favorite businesses and service providers an opportunity to receive free publicity, plus bragging rights for a year if they place in the Top Three in their category. And don’t forget, we only count one ballot per person!

Wishing you an artful spring,

Jackie Kennedy, Editor magazine@newnan.com

Robin Stewart loves to grab her hubby and take off on their next adventure. Having found their shared passion as globetrotters, they’ve learned life is just downtime between trips. When not on the go, she enjoys reading, gentle yoga, family, friends and the freedoms of pre-retirement.

Jennifer London lives in Newnan with her daughter. The two use their travels as inspiration for stories they create with Jennifer writing and her daughter illustrating. Jennifer believes that everyone has a story to tell, and she loves being a freelance writer and meeting new people.

Danielle Ernest is a Newnan freelance writer who lives with her husband, Adam, and son, Isaac. From Michigan, where her family founded a newspaper in 1912, she loves writing, editing and photography; her work has appeared in Better Homes & Gardens and other national magazines.

Frances Kidd is a Newnan native who spent most of her adult years working as a nonprofit and marketing consultant. Although she’s an avid traveler, she never lost her Southern accent. If she’s not in Georgia, you can find her out in the country in Italy.

Lisa Gentry is from Henry County and “newish” to Newnan. She’s a lifelong Georgian, wife, boy mom of two, Jesus follower and cancer fighter who works in education. She clearly knows how to have a good time – and has never met a stranger.

Sara Moore’s warm and welcoming nature influences her photography. She lives the quiet country life in Newnan on a farm with horses, dogs, chickens and ducks.

Behind the Wheel

Written by JACKIE KENNEDY

The first time I visited AJ Sears at her new digs in Grantville, she was eagerly putting together her resumé to snag a stunt job in Atlanta. She hadn’t done stunts in nine years and was ready to dip her toes back in. Since I was at her pottery studio to take photos for a feature in this issue, she asked if I’d mind taking a few shots for her to send with her paperwork. I happily obliged.

The woman can strike a pose. Makes sense. She worked as a stuntwoman for more than two decades, traveling the world for 15 years doing some films but mostly live stunt shows. Admittedly, she never saw herself as a potter teaching classes in a sleepy Georgia town. But the slower pace suits her.

Except when it doesn’t – when she gets the itch to do stunts again, like her stuntman husband still does.

A few days after the photoshoot for the feature on AJ and her Mud Haven Pottery Studio, we decided to feature her on the cover.

I needed to return for a cover shoot.

I called her. No answer. I texted her. No answer. It was unusual since she’d got back to me in a sprint the other times I’d reached out to her.

Then it hit me: She got the stunt job! I was convinced.

That night, AJ texted and confirmed my happy suspicion: She’d been working for 16 hours that day, immersed in the job she’d loved for a quarter century and had just returned to after a nine-year hiatus.

We got together the next morning for the cover photoshoot. She was a little tired – who wouldn’t be? – but practically giddy at the same time. After all, she’d spent the day before on a different kind of shoot – in a make-believe shootout with FBI agents. She’d had a blast.

“Do you plan to do more, or is it a one-off?” I asked.

“I’m doing more,” she said, with eyes twinkling and her signature grin.

Rappelling off a building is all in a day’s work for AJ Sears, who worked in the stunt industry for 15 years.

Good for her.

As our covergirl for The Arts Issue, AJ Sears proves that one person can be an artist in multiple mediums. From acting to pottery, she’s proved her creativity has no bounds. Whether on set or behind the wheel at her pottery studio, she’s a master at her craft.

Rock on, AJ Sears. Rock on. NCM

‘The Woman Who Painted the Seasons’

Reviewed by MISHA BENSON

“

The Woman Who Painted the Seasons,” written by Penny Fields-Scheider, is a biographical novel that’s a mustread for anyone interested in art or the women’s movement of the late 1920s and early ’30s.

The book is based on the life of Lee Krasner, abstract impressionist painter and wife of Jackson Pollock.

In Krasner’s lifetime, women were definitely at the back of the line when it came to independence, and she was the epitome of a woman of her own mind. She had two things against her: She was female, and her art was abstract.

Born in Brooklyn, NY, in 1908, Lena Krasner changed her name officially to Lee within the first few years of her life. This was a precursor to how she intended to live her life.

Her first love was contemporary art, not popular among traditionalists in the United States. She took classes,

joined untraditional artist associations, and fought her way through art shows and museums while living in Greenwich Village. She met artist Jackson Pollock as a fellow painter; the two started a romantic relationship and married in 1944.

Soon after, they moved to Long Island to give both of them a break from the chaos and distraction of the city. This also gave Pollock more studio space to concentrate on his career.

Theirs was a tumultuous relationship. Pollock was well known for his alcoholic tendencies and outbursts. Krasner’s most challenging pursuit was her husband’s sobriety while managing his artistic career.

Bottom line, Lee Krasner took a backseat to Pollock’s success, which ended in an alcohol-related car accident that resulted in his death. Even after Pollock’s death in 1956,

Krasner continued as the caretaker and manager of his art collection, while finally pursuing her career as a painter in earnest.

The many seasons of Lee Krasner’s life ended in 1984. She had opened the door for the many abstract artists, both male and female, who followed her.

This novel is about a determined woman of her time and a universal example for change.

“The Woman Who Painted the Seasons,” published by PFS Publishing in May 2024; 550 pages; ★★★★★

Detours in

After declaring majors no fewer than four times in college (an educational road trip that had pit stops in psychology, communications, theatre and a brief gas station nibble in Swedish), I finally made the sweeping proclamation that I had arrived at my destination: Art.

My poor parents took this blow with grace and undying support. Obviously, they were concerned how I would carve my way in a world where “starving artist” was a literal cliché.

Art degree in hand, after graduation I took a brief job as a camp counselor, a token hiatus hurrah before I officially found a “real” job. Living in group quarters, the camp required everyone to Sharpie our names on our clothing to ensure its return after bulk laundry day. This tiny detail may have been responsible for a crucial detour in the direction of my journey.

After camp, I came home to pave my professional path. I typed letters and resumes, decorating cover letters with glitter. Let it be known: This is how not to get a job.

Luck is in who you know. Fate gave me a friend who worked at a fancy art museum. This friend somehow convinced someone important to interview me for a job.

Still living at home, I crammed an overnight bag with a dozen interview outfit options, barely zipping it shut, and drove to spend the night at my friend’s place near the museum.

Arriving early for my interview, I sat under a low hanging tree in the courtyard, hopefully hiding my nerves under the large branches that grazed my head and overnight bag. I unzipped my overfilled bag to grab an extra résumé, but suddenly it was go-time. Hastily cramming everything back in the bag while checking my hair for leaves, I marched into my future.

During the interview, I realized that working at a museum and being an artist were two separate worlds. Nonetheless, I wanted this job. The interview went well; I was eager and bright eyed, convinced this was my path to being an artist.

The days trodded on until the fateful phone call: “Thank you for interviewing, but we selected someone else. Also, you left something here.”

To be frank, I couldn’t think of what it might be. I had my wallet, keys and overnight bag (which I never opened during the interview), so I asked what it was.

“Well,” she said, followed by the longest silence in the world, “it’s your bra. Someone found it hanging on a tree outside. Your name is written on it.”

Panic swallowed me into an abyss of horror as I recalled my camp requirement of labeling our clothes. Somehow, those branches snagged the spare bra from my opened bag, playing a cruel, cosmic joke on my career.

No wonder I didn’t get the job.

Time is a wise healer; it prescribes us hindsight. Not getting that job has led me to this moment, and I’m grateful for what I’ve achieved – and relieved for what I haven’t.

Branches may snag both blueprints and bras beneath us, rerouting us to paths we hadn’t considered.

Leaning into the detour, new landscapes can now unfurl.

Thus, there was no need to reclaim that bra. Perhaps it still sits in the museum’s lost and found, the faded Sharpie of my name as proof that I do have a signed work in a museum. NCM

Make your petcelebrity a local

Enter our Pet Photo Contest!

Does your mutt mug for the camera? Is your cat a diva? Maybe you have a pet squirrel that’s nuts for you.

Pet owners are invited to share pictures of their devoted pals in Newnan-Coweta Magazine’s Pet Photo Contest. Categories include:

• Most Boopable Nose

• Best Ears

• Goofiest Pet

• Most Unique Pet

• Best Dressed Pet

name and contact information, and your pet’s name, breed and any other pertinent details.

We will accept entries through March 20, 2026.

Send us your best pet mugs for a chance to win our 2026 Pet Photo Contest. Winners will be announced in our May-June 2026 issue, and each first place winner will receive a goodie bag stuffed with pet paraphernalia and prizes from our local business sponsors.

So, dress Fifi in her favorite tutu, brush your Bassett’s ears, or put your parrot on a pedestal – and get to snapping. Then send us your best shot!

Where creativity and community meet Backstreet Arts:

Written by LISA GENTRY

Photographed by BETH NEELY

“A place where everyone is welcome” is what Kim Ramey had in mind when, in 2015, she started Backstreet Community Arts, commonly known as, simply, Backstreet Arts.

Her inspiration to create such a space, she says, grew out of a combination of anxiety and depression. This honest self-reflection was something she knew many others faced as well. So, after visiting

art therapy spaces across the country, Ramey opened Backstreet Arts in Newnan as a place with a simple philosophy: Come as you are. No judgment. Just art.

The mission of Backstreet Arts is to provide a safe and inclusive space to experience the healing power of art and creativity, according to the nonprofit’s founder.

- Kim Ramey

“When you walk through the doors, there’s a certainty that within these walls, you are safe.”

Located at 19-B 1st Avenue, just behind LaGrange Street in downtown Newnan, Backstreet Arts became an official nonprofit in 2017. Inside, visitors find a fully functioning art studio – a respite workshop where people can relax, create and feel at ease.

Walk into the studio and you’re greeted by cheerful voices and a steady stream of upbeat music, including songs that make you want to sing along. People from all walks of life share tables, art supplies and conversations that often turn into life advice you never knew you needed, according to Ramey, who operates the nonprofit with dedicated volunteers and a small team of employees.

One of those employees is Faith Farrell, a local artist who’s spent much of her life creating art for TV and movie sets. She was intrigued with Backstreet Arts after complimenting a woman’s leather bag and being told, “I made it!”

Curious, Farrell soon visited the studio.

“I was welcomed home to a home I didn’t even know I had,” she says.

The artist began her partnership with Backstreet Arts as a volunteer and eventually became an employee after retiring from the film industry. While her artistic talents span many mediums, painting is her focus. She helps patrons not only create art but also form meaningful connections.

“Everyone has a story here,” says Farrell.

One of the biggest advantages of Backstreet Arts is that it’s completely free. All supplies are provided, and Ramey is adamant about never asking visitors for donations.

“I want all kinds of people to be able to get together and make art with no limits,” she says, stating the one rule she enforces at Backstreet: “You do art. You don’t just watch other people do art.”

Backstreet offers a wide range of creative opportunities, including a leatherworking station where visitors can create their own items, similar to the leather bag that inspired Farrell to check out the studio. Other options include watercolor, oil painting, printmaking, jewelry design and art journaling. There’s a sewing area for those who want to learn or practice using a sewing machine, and ukulele lessons are available. The variety

of activities ensures that there’s something for everyone, according to Ramey.

Another cherished feature of the studio is the Heart Wall.

“It began as a gentle way to welcome newcomers,” says Ramey. “When someone visits for the first time, we invite them to paint a small heart. It’s a simple and familiar shape. When they paint, they get a feel for the space. Their hearts are then added to the collection.”

Over time, the wall has become a colorful reminder of how many lives have passed through the doors.

Trauma can affect anyone, according to Ramey; no one is immune. For many people who carry something heavy, Backstreet Arts offers a place of solace, she says.

“When you walk through the doors, there’s a certainty that within these walls, you are safe,” she adds. “Everyone is welcome, and no one is turned away based on their ability to afford supplies.”

1. Sara Pace teaches mixed media, junk journaling, sewing and beading at Backstreet Arts. “People here are so nice,” she says. “It’s cheaper than therapy. It’s home.” 2. Art is the heartbeat of all that’s done at Backstreet Community Arts. 3. Faith Farrell, one of Backstreet’s dedicated volunteers, puts a finishing touch on a painting for the annual HeArt Jam fundraiser. 4. Visitors are invited to paint a small heart that’s added to the heart wall collection, which has become a colorful reminder of how many lives have been touched at Backstreet Arts. 5. Pip, the giant golden doodle, is a mainstay among artists and volunteers. 6. You name it, you’ll find it, when it comes to inspiration at Backstreet. 7. Whether it’s a cup of coffee or a plethora of art supplies with which to create, all are readily available at the downtown Newnan space. 8. Emily Stumbo, left, was invited by her friend Elaine Bronstein to join in the fun and fellowship offered to Cowetans at Backstreet Arts. 9. Art saves lives.

When visitors leave the studio, the hope is that they feel a little less weighed down with less worry, stress, anxiety or whatever burden they carried in with them, according to Ramey.

“Our volunteers and participants don’t tell tidy stories,” she says. “Coming to Backstreet is often part of a larger process – one that may also involve therapists, support groups and rehabilitative care.”

For many Backstreet artists, having no-cost access to creative resources is an essential part of emotional wellness, according to Anne Write-Cunniff, office manager at Backstreet.

“For several of our participants, it’s truly a lifeline,” she says, mentioning one longtime volunteer, a Purple Heart veteran, who learned to leave his stress in his art and make room in his heart for the warmth of camaraderie.

Every medium offers distinct benefits: Collage can spark language when words don’t come easily; felting generates a meditative, gentle rhythm; and sewing provides both a sense of accomplishment and a practical path to cost savings.

“At Backstreet, we believe art should feel enjoyable rather than transactional,” says Write-Cunniff. “We encourage participants to focus on the process itself –and to resist the impulse to compare their work with others’.”

Beyond the creativity it affords, Backstreet Arts has become a quiet anchor in the Newnan community. For

many, it offers routine, a reason to leave the house, a place to belong, and faces that become familiar over time, according to Ramey.

“The studio encourages conversation but never demands it,” she says. “Silence is just as welcome as laughter.”

Some visitors come once; others return week after week, slowly building confidence both in their creativity and in themselves, according to Ramey.

In a world that often feels rushed and isolating, Backstreet Arts stands as a reminder that healing does not have to be complicated. Sometimes, it begins with paint, music and an open door. NCM

Invest in Community Art

Because Backstreet Arts doesn’t charge participants for its services, the organization relies heavily on donors and supporters to keep its programs running. Monthly donations comprise the most consistent and reliable form of income.

“Becoming a friend of Backstreet through our giving tiers program helps sustain our work, and donors get some really cool and unique swag as a thank-you,” says Office Manager Anne Write-Cunniff.

To learn more or contribute, visit backstreetart. org/giving-tiers.

LIFE IS BETTER WHEN YOU BELONG

From everyday banking to life’s biggest milestones, The Southern Credit Union is here with you every step of the way. We’re proud to be your hometown credit union since 1963

We offer a full range of accounts and loans with competitive rates, flexible terms, and the local service you deserve. We’re a member‑owned credit union focused on people—not profits.

If we’ve earned your trust, we’d be honored by your vote for Best Financial Services partner for the upcoming Best of Coweta issue.

Not a member? We’d love to have you. Membership is open to anyone who lives or works in Coweta County—and once you’re a member, your family is eligible to join too.

Join today by

Hunting for Unicorns:

HOW ONE DESIGNER FURNISHES HER HOME WITH THRIFTED TREASURES

Written by MELISSA JACKSON

SARA MOORE

In the 1948 cottage home of Hillary Keene, old and new mingle.

Art deco and mid-century modern converse, and brass animals flirt with chinoiserie porcelain, while contemporary botanical and floral art weave together a cozy, curated environment built almost entirely from thrift store adventures.

Keene, a senior design lead for Chickfil-A, holds a bachelor’s degree in interior design from Georgia Southern. Her domestic interior work gives her joy, she says, so much joy, in fact, that she routinely visits Goodwill stores to scour the aisles for discarded treasures. Her Instagram feed dispenses leads on young artists and vintage furniture sources, and neighbors delight in her facility for transforming interiors without breaking the bank.

Of all her thrifted finds, Hillary Keene is most delighted by her “unicorn chairs” that provide the palette for the family’s shared space.

Keene’s thrifting prowess is best illustrated by what she calls her “unicorns” – a pair of matching chairs upholstered in a traditional ikat pattern with pops of green, blue and coral. She found them on Facebook Marketplace and immediately recognized quality craftsmanship.

“Anytime I can see the lines match up across the upholstery, I know this is good stuff,” she says.

The chairs’ cheerful colors established her design direction and palette for her home. She snagged both for an astonishing $250 total.

“These are $3,500 chairs,” she marvels.

When friends envy her luck, Keene reminds them that it’s a numbers game. Every find represents dozens of hours of hunting for the perfect treasure in a sea of discards. That time investment means strategic, frequent visits to her favorite haunts, according to the designer. As a full-time executive and mother of two young children, she has perfected the art of efficient treasure hunting.

“I am a relentless shopper at Goodwill; I probably go two to three times a week,” she says. “I usually go when I’m out running errands; I could spend hours in there. I will go when I know I only have 15 minutes, and I’ll do quick ins and outs.”

Those brief but regular visits, typically in the morning when inventory is freshest, have yielded lampshades, oyster plates and countless other finds that make her home feel uniquely hers.

“I find so much joy when I find treasures,” she reflects. “It just makes my home cozy, which is really important to us.”

Keene’s approach isn’t simply about hunting bargains. It’s guided by design principles adapted to her stage of life.

“Think about the way you live your life, where you are in your season of life,” she advises.

“Right now, I’m not spending a lot of money on upholstery because my kids are young. I spend most of my money on things like case goods – tables, even lighting – things that kids can’t touch but that can make a big impact.”

Her philosophy centers on investing in timeless foundational pieces while keeping accessories flexible and affordable.

“Anchor in more timeless pieces and then accessorize with the trendy pieces,” she recommends. “That’s just a better way to spend your money.”

To build your own curated space on a budget, Keene offers the following tips.

Design philosophy:

• Establish a color theme based on a favorite find.

• Mix new and old in a balanced way.

• Mix styles and eras , mid-century, traditional, deco, etc.

• Design for your life stage. With young kids, skip expensive upholstery.

• Invest in case goods , like tables, lighting, things kids and pets can’t easily damage.

• Anchor with timeless pieces.

• Consider investing in impact items , like curtains, lighting fixtures, art.

• Don’t over-negotiate. Most antique dealers have already done the hard work of sourcing. Respect their labor.

Creative approaches:

• Strip thrifted frames and add different art (she used wallpaper samples).

• Look for quality indicators (upholstery lines matching, construction quality).

• Pepper in trendy accessories that can be easily updated as preferences evolve.

Regular haunts:

• Facebook Marketplace

• Goodwill (The best time is mornings, 9:30 to 10 a.m.) 228 Bullsboro Drive, Newnan 3121 Highway 34 East, Newnan

• Estate sales (Especially Reynolds Estate sales)

• Griffin House 390 Jackson Street, Suite D, Newnan (Visit the monthly Griffin House Bazaar Weekends)

• Gillyweed 21 West Court Square, Newnan (For curated vintage finds and furniture)

• Circa Antiques Marketplace 865 Senoia Road, Tyrone

• Habitat for Humanity ReStore 216 Bullsboro Drive, Suite B-1, Newnan

• Instagram (For finding emerging artists and antique dealers)

1 and 2. Keene’s dining room features contemporary art and lighting with vintage furniture found at estate sales and online marketplaces.

3. In a room of more masculine artifacts, Keene lightened the mood with pop-culture references, including a familiar sign from the popular Ted Lasso series mounted with painters tape.

4. Light hues and framed prints enhance the dresser arrangement in this bedroom.

5 A mix of textures and eras populate Keene’s daughter’s room – all held together by a shared palette of soft blues, neutrals and pink. The room features drapes from Anthropologie alongside thrifted rattan and vintage quilts. NCM

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“Movement is artistry” – Jessica Dixon Majka

Where an Artist Works: Atelier 20 Perry

Written by JENNIFER LONDON | Photographed by SARA MOORE

Newnan native Jessica Dixon Majka began dancing at age 3. At 19, she auditioned and was accepted into the prestigious Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and moved to New York City.

One of the requirements for school was to take yoga twice a week.

“I was not happy about that,” Jessica reminisces. “I did not like yoga. I actually despised that hour and a half of the day, twice a week for a while, because I wanted to be moving and dancing and moving through space.”

To complicate matters, the style of yoga was Iyengar, a very detail-oriented system of yoga that

she says she wasn’t ready for. Now, she adds, “I guess I was because it was right in front of me.”

A couple of months into her yoga practice, something shifted and she felt a different connection to herself and her body. After finding a teacher she enjoyed outside of school, she began studying in 2002, learning the system of yoga and meditation.

“It often gets misunderstood as a religion,” says Jessica. “It’s not a religion; it’s a science. There’s a very systematic way of looking at the layers of the body, of a person, so that’s how I got into more of that somatic work, because you can think of the body as like Russian nesting dolls. We have all these layers and we have to go through those layers to create change. You can change on one layer, but the debris is still in another; that has to come all together.”

As she studied yoga, she gained as much or more through her experience of it, according to Jessica, who says, “It’s a very experiential path, and I think that’s what’s beautiful about it.”

After a successful 20-year dance and teaching career, including television and film, she returned to Newnan in 2021 with her husband Eric and daughter Tula. She initially operated an online studio and then opened the brick and mortar Atelier 20 Perry in historic downtown Newnan in 2023.

Her studio’s name sums up her philosophy. Atelier is a French word meaning “a studio or workshop where an artist creates.” For Jessica, her work and art are all rolled into one.

“Movement is artistry,” she says. “It is an art. It is something that comes from a higher place and moves through us. Whether it comes out in drawing or dance or massage or whatever, it is an art.”

This artist’s boutique movement studio is where she teaches meditation, yoga and pilates, with private and group classes, gallery nights and a holistic series. She teaches children and adults, with her eldest client being 86. In 2026, Jessica plans to introduce new dance classes and strength training options.

Her technique for helping clients reach their goals involves an embodied process of observation, taking in the whole person by watching how they walk, stand and talk to themselves while she consciously listens for intuitive cues. She observes the space around them, which tells her how they inhibit their body and how she can work with them to bring their body first into balance with their mind and spirit, then build strength by working from the inside out, honing into the nervous system, bringing everything into alignment for lasting change.

According to Jessica, her clients notice a difference in her studio; she insists it’s nothing she does: She simply holds space for the experience they need.

“Jessica brings such great energy and creates such a good environment for the community, and everyone who comes to take a class feels like they’ve moved their body well and they understand how they moved their body,” says physical therapist assistant and instructor Ashley Mitchell, who teaches a Monday night Pilates mat class.

While similar studios have walls covered with mirrors, there are none at Atelier 20 Perry, and Jessica says that’s by design in order to eliminate comparisons to other people.

“I want people to feel inside what’s moving, what’s moving them,” she says. “You can feel that when you are in a place that feels good and where you feel safe.”

Classes begin with the body artist making sure everyone is centered, with proper postural alignment, as she teaches how this alignment feels so that the more one revisits it, the stronger it gets, eventually becoming their new normal.

Says Jessica, “Many people think they can’t do yoga because they are not flexible, but yoga’s not about being flexible; it’s about being centered.”

Her classes are open to any level of experience, but she encourages new clients to take beginner classes as a way to slow down, to get more precise and intentional with movement and breath, disrupting patterns and challenging oneself.

For those who are doubtful of their ability to meditate because they can’t clear their minds, Jessica has some words of wisdom.

“That’s not the purpose of meditation,” she says. “Meditation is to develop and hone the action of bringing yourself back to focus. Notice the awareness. Get the awareness that you have drifted off, and that’s OK, and bring it back. The purpose of yoga is to create a comfortable body that can sit in meditation or prayer, so to free the body of aches or tension so that you can sit and you can stay and you can bring yourself into this place where something else guides you.” NCM

FAYETTE’S LEADING

The Women's Specialists of Fayette comprise a healthcare team that understands that women have special healthcare needs throughout their lives.

Our specialists are trained in the field of women's medicine which includes obstetrical and gynecological services such as pregnancy care, family planning needs and counseling, annual examinations, and minor office surgical procedures.

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AJ Takes the Wheel

at Grantville’s

Mud Haven Pottery Studio

Written by ROBIN STEWART | Photographed by JACKIE KENNEDY

Aimee Jo Sears, better known as AJ, never imagined ending up in Grantville as owner and instructor at Mud Haven Pottery Studio. Hers is a unique journey that took her all over the globe before ultimately calling Coweta home.

Mud Haven moved down the street and around the corner from its previous downtown location about a year ago. The studio now resides in a fun and funky, renovated, 1930s-era, former gas station at 55 Griffin Street in Grantville. Blessed with big windows, lots of natural light and large roll-up doors allowing fresh air and an outdoor feel, the space is ideal for its current purpose.

For about 15 years, Moore worked as a stuntwoman traveling the world and performing live stunt shows. She also worked in television and film in California and Singapore, where she and her husband Patrick lived for seven years. His career change brought them back stateside to California and, a couple years later, her husband’s desire to return to the stunt business brought them to Georgia where close friends in what they call their “stunt family” already lived.

AJ dabbled in art and pottery in high school, but it would be years before she fully returned to it. An unfortunate knee injury during one of her shows abroad required ACL surgery, which led to “the second time I got into pottery,” recalls the self-taught potter who, while undergoing physical therapy as part of her recovery, found pottery to be “a form of mental or art therapy.”

A few years ago, while her husband was working out of town on a film for several months, Sears found herself with free time and once again felt the call of the clay. She discovered Wren’s Nest Pottery in Hogansville and quickly became an active member.

“I was there basically four days a week, eight hours a day,” she says. “It was fun. It was art therapy. You’re going to get good at something doing it that much.”

Having fallen in love with it, she had her own wheel and kiln soon after and established her home studio. After Covid struck, the owner of Wren’s Nest asked Sears to take over teaching classes there. She happily accepted and learned the business of running a studio.

The story of how Mud Haven Pottery Studio came to be is rather serendipitous. While working at the Hogansville studio, Sears visited The Hug Box, a boutique in downtown Newnan that sold her wares. It was there she met Doug Frost who happened to be the store’s landlord.

“He’s why Grantville is coming back to life,” she says.

During a long conversation, Frost explained that he’d bought a city block in Grantville, according to Sears, who says he invited her to open a pottery studio there. She declined, saying it wouldn’t seem right because she was teaching just 10 minutes away at Wren’s Nest.

The next day, the owner of Wren’s Nest told her that she was thinking of closing her studio and encouraged the budding artist to open her own pottery studio.

“And that’s how Mud Haven started,” says Sears.

In business four years now, the potter credits hubby Patrick with helping make things happen. He assists regularly with studio tasks and maintenance and has become a potter himself.

Shortly after opening Mud Haven Pottery, Sears had a video go viral on TikTok. She had filmed herself throwing a bowl in 60 seconds – while blindfolded. It got 4.7 million views. She recently recreated the video, wearing a proper mask since the Internet doubted her blindfold in the original reel. Plus, she added one more twist.

“I beat my record,” she reveals. “I did it in just under 50 seconds, but I also said the alphabet backwards while doing it.”

Past will meet the present in future videos when AJ Sears brings her stunt experience to pottery. She has plans to film a video of herself throwing a pot while hanging upside down in moon boots. Perhaps her boldest plan on the horizon is one to film herself “doing a fire burn while throwing a pot,” she says.

Fire burn is stunt-speak for setting oneself ablaze. The stuntwoman says she’s done 600 or more during her career and considers it rather routine.

Mud Haven Pottery Studio offers a variety of classes and workshops. The intro class is a one-time workshop for those eager to play in the mud while learning basic techniques of throwing on a potter’s wheel. Armed with three balls of clay, most students leave having made three pots. The Studio puts the finishing touches on the bowls, adding the student’s colors of choice. The experience creates not just pottery – but artists as well.

“If you make a pot, you’re a potter,” says Sears. Her mostly local students range from age 4 to 85. Many take ongoing wheel classes, while others take six to eight consecutive classes required to take their skill up to the next level.

Mud Haven Pottery Studio is a co-op. Upon successfully completing eight classes and learning important studio safety and operational protocols, students can become members with flexibility to work on art at the studio several times a week.

For her students, Sears offers a demonstration and basic instruction but also seeks to find what works for students.

“There’s no right or wrong to this,” she says. “It just takes time on the wheel to learn the centering. It takes strength, but it also takes finesse. You’re learning how to dance with the clay.”

The potter describes herself as a hands-on teacher who works one-on-one with students.

“I wear knee pads and sit on the floor beside them, helping them figure out how to move the clay,” she says.

Just as students are different, all clay is not the same either, she notes.

“There are different types of clay bodies,” she says. “Some have magnesium in it to give speckles. Some have grit and grog to make it a little bit more firm. Each clay has its own personality.”

Students use only the clay provided, necessary with the electric kilns the studio uses. Outside clays are not allowed since clay and glazes fired at the wrong temperature can result in melted puddles and costly damage.

“It’s all chemistry,” says Sears, noting as an example that an antique white glaze appears pink before it’s fired, but after being subjected to 2,232 degrees, the result is indeed antique white.

Coffee mugs are the most popular choice for novice potters to create, according to the art instructor.

“They want to make their own coffee mug, and it’s actually pretty challenging,” she says, adding that it’s a matter of fighting the centrifugal force of the wheel. Plus, an eight-ounce mug measures about five inches tall and three inches wide, and clay shrinks, according to Sears.

“It shrinks during the first fire, and it shrinks during the final fire,” she says, noting that finished products come out of the kiln about 12% smaller than when they were put in.

“Every first potter’s mug ends up the size of a teacup,” says Sears.

She cautions her students that, since so many things

can, and often do, go wrong during the firing process, it’s a good idea to “not fall in love” with a piece until it’s safe at home.

Pottery is not for those seeking instant gratification, says the artist; instead, it’s a process.

“Young potters learn the investment of time in each step of their creation,” she says. “Experience is not necessary; patience is.”

When not busy running Mud Haven Pottery, Sears works on her own creations. She sells her work online at Etsy.com and at local events including the Hummingbird Festival in Hogansville and the market at RPM in downtown Newnan, among others.

A stuntwoman who’s overcome fears aplenty, Sears takes the fear of the fragile out of pottery, too. She encourages touching and holding the pieces. At Halloween, she offered a whimsical collection of emotional support ghosts designed to be held in the palm of your hand. There’s even a sign on her display that reads: “If you break it, don’t worry. I’ll make another one.”

The artist says she’s seen too many people hesitant to grab or touch handmade pottery, but when you’re considering buying a piece, being tactile is essential.

“If you’re buying a mug, you want to feel it in your hand, the weight of it, see what it feels like,” she says.

Sears believes pottery is an art all can take part in.

“Pottery is great for anybody and everybody,” she says. “Adults forget that we need to feel like kids. We need art therapy. We grow up, and we work, and pay bills. We forget we need to take a moment and go do

some art, whatever that is, whether music or pottery or something else. And anybody can make pottery, I promise you. It’s just mud.” NCM Mud Haven Pottery Studio 818-531-5886 • mudhavenpotterystudio.com

HOW TO VOTE:

ONLY CURRENTLY OPERATING, LOCALLY-OWNED, COWETA COUNTY BUSINESSES/ENTITIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR VOTING. BIG-BOX STORES AND NATIONAL CHAINS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO BE VOTED BEST OF COWETA. MARCH 1-28, 2026

PRINT BALLOT:

Please read the rules, and print clearly and legibly.

• Enter the name of one (1) COWETA COUNTY business of your choice next to each category as completely and correctly as possible. If a business has multiple locations, indicate the location to which your vote applies. If you have no favorite for a particular category, you may skip it.

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Best

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BEST OF COWETA 2026 Voting and Prize Drawing Official Rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. ALL FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY.

WHEN TO VOTE: Voting begins on March 1, 2026 at 12 a.m. EST and ends on March 28, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

WHO CAN VOTE: Voting is open only to legal residents of the United States and Georgia who are eighteen (18) years of age or older at the time of voting. Employees and independent contractors of The Newnan Times-Herald and NewnanCoweta Magazine are not eligible to participate.

ONLY CURRENTLY OPERATING, LOCALLY OWNED, COWETA COUNTY BUSINESSES/ENTITIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR VOTING. BIG-BOX STORES AND NATIONAL CHAINS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO BE VOTED BEST OF COWETA.

HOW TO VOTE ONLINE:

During the voting period, visit newnancowetamagazine.com or times-herald.com and click on the Best of Coweta 2026 Reader’s Choice Survey link; scan the QR code on one of the print ads in Newnan-Coweta Magazine or The Newnan Times-Herald; or scan the QR code on one of the promotional posters at any business displaying one. Enter your first and last name, one (1) valid phone number, and one (1) valid email address and proceed to the first voting section.

Enter the name of one (1) COWETA COUNTY BUSINESS of your choice for each category, as completely and correctly as possible, in the ‘Other’ box. If a business has multiple locations, indicate the location to which your vote applies. Proceed through each voting section in the same manner, and click on ‘Submit’ at the end. If you have no favorite for a particular category, you must select N/A to proceed. Online ballots must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. on March 28, 2026 in order to be eligible. No online ballots will be accepted after this time.

HOW TO VOTE ON PAPER:

Best of Coweta 2026 paper ballots will be available in the Weekend editions of The Newnan Times-Herald during the voting period. Fill in your choice for each category as described in the “How to Vote Online” section above, and fill in your first and last name, one (1) valid phone number, and one (1) valid email address at the end (required). If you have no favorite for a particular category, you may skip it or enter N/A. Please print clearly and legibly. Print ballots may be mailed to Newnan-Coweta Magazine, ATTN: Best of Coweta, 16 Jefferson Street, Newnan, GA 30263, or handdelivered to the same address. Print ballots must be received at The Newnan Times-Herald/Newnan-Coweta Magazine office no later than 5 p.m. on March 27, 2026. No printed ballots will be accepted after this time.

NO PHOTOCOPIES, PRINTOUTS OR DUPLICATE BALLOTS WILL BE ACCEPTED. ALL PRINT AND ONLINE BALLOTS MUST CONTAIN A VALID AND LEGIBLE FIRST AND LAST NAME, PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL ADDRESS TO BE ELIGIBLE.

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WINNERS:

Category Winners: The leading vote recipients in each category will be declared the winner of that category (the “Category Winner” or “Category Winners”). In the event of a tie, a random drawing will be held among the tied Category Winners to determine the final Category Winner. A candidate may win in more than one category, but votes will not be

combined across categories. If a selected winner is not eligible in accordance with these rules, the category win will be forfeited and awarded to another eligible business who has received the next highest number of votes in the same category.

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PRIZE DRAWING:

Ten (10) voter ballots will be drawn at random on or around April 17, 2026, from all eligible ballots, for the voter to receive a prize of one (1) twenty-five dollar ($25) Gift Card of the Sponsors’ choosing.

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Winner Notification: Winners will be notified by telephone and/or email during or after the month of April 2026 in accordance with the contact information supplied on the ballot. If a Newnan Times-Herald/Newnan-Coweta Magazine representative who attempts to contact a prize winner is unable to speak directly to that person within 24 hours of the initial notification attempt, if prize notification is returned to Sponsor as undeliverable, or if prize is refused or cannot be accepted for any reason, that person will forfeit all rights to the prize and an alternative winner will be drawn. Upon forfeiture or refusal, no compensation will be given.

How to Claim: Potential prize winners may pick up their gift cards at The Newnan Times-Herald/Newnan-Coweta Magazine, 16 Jefferson Street, Newnan, GA 30263, Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Photo ID must be presented for verification. Prize must be claimed by July 31, 2026 at 5 p.m. or it will be forfeited. Prize winners will be photographed at a mutually agreeable date for prize winner and provider, but no later than August 14, 2026. The prize will be forfeited and awarded to another eligible voter if winner does not sign the Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability, or if selected winner is not eligible in accordance with these rules.

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compensation, except where prohibited by law. All decisions of The Newnan Times-Herald and Newnan-Coweta Magazine regarding the Prize Drawing are final.

CONDITIONS AND DISCLAIMERS:

Participation constitutes acceptance of rules and conditions. The Newnan Times-Herald and Newnan-Coweta Magazine are not responsible for ballots or votes that are lost, late, incomplete, misdirected, incorrect, garbled, illegible, or incompletely received, for any reason, including by reason of hardware, software, browser, or network failure, malfunction, congestion, or incompatibility at Sponsors’ servers or elsewhere. All ballots submitted, both online and printed, become the property of the Sponsors and will not be returned.

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by

Steppin’ Out into the Big Apple

Coweta youth dance in NYC

Written by JENNIFER LONDON

Young dance students from Newnan kicked up their heels in New York City over the 2025 Christmas holidays, learning from Broadway actors and Rockettes and also performing themselves.

Steppin’ Out Performing Arts (SOPA) made the trip possible for youth in their performing groups, according to Cassie Jackson, who founded Steppin’ Out in 2017 and co-owns it with business partner Lindsey Archer at 36 Madison Street in downtown Newnan.

“We started Steppin’ Out as a performing arts

studio, and it progressed from mostly dance into musical theater, acting, art, voice and piano,” Jackson says.

The studio works with two performing groups designed for children ages 8 to 16. Musical Theater Ensemble is an audition-based performing group, and Company is a jazz-based performing dance group. Both require year-long commitments and willingness to perform throughout the community at local events like a spring tea performance, summer musical and Broadway and Brew, which is held at Line Creek Brewery.

These kids were awesome. It’s one of the most difficult styles to do and they nailed it. It was so cute! They did a really great job. “ ”

– Christine Sienicki

The two groups traveled to New York City in 2023 for a tour, but this year’s trip over the Christmas holidays was more intense and action-packed.

“We were able to do a Rockette workshop in addition to a musical theater workshop,” says Jackson. Company dancers and Musical Theater Ensemble performers gained exposure to what each group does and experience in both styles of performing.

“The kids get to experience a live Broadway show class or a Radio City Rockette class, which is a precision class,” says instructor and former Rockette dancer of 20 years, Christine Sienicki. “These kids were awesome. It’s one of the most difficult styles to do and they nailed it. It was so cute! They did a really great job.”

After the Rockette workshop, the group attended the Rockette Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. The rest of their New York City tour included a visit to Summit One Vanderbilt, a three level immersive art experience full of mirrors, glass and other exciting sensory indulgences; visiting Central Park and other NYC landmarks; and enjoying dinner at Gayle’s Broadway Rose, known for the singing waitstaff who are also aspiring Broadway performers. That experience gave the children the opportunity to be surrounded by people in the city who strive to live their dreams, demonstrating the potential of what they can do as performers.

“Doing the workshop with the Broadway person made me feel like I could be on Broadway, too,” says River Reedy, 9, a SOPA dancer for seven years.

The students also took an Aladdin workshop with ensemble Broadway performer Tyler Roberts who has performed in the Aladdin musical for seven years; the local dancers watched him in the Broadway matinee later that day.

Roberts says, “As a teacher, I always believe in the fact that a teacher’s learning just as much from a student as they are from him or her, and this was no exception to that rule. This group of students were incredible. As someone who truly believes that children are our future, it is incredible to be in a space where they are so willing to learn and be so open to feedback.”

One of the stand-out male performers in the youth group, Maddox Wigley, 10, has been with the Newnan studio for three years.

“It was phenomenal, I loved it,” he says of the Big Apple tour. “The Aladdin workshop was my favorite.”

The trip included the local dancers performing on the

USS Intrepid WW2 aircraft carrier located at Pier 86 in Manhattan. The group brought two Company routines and two Musical Theater routines to an audience on the Intrepid.

“To be on a stage that they had never been on, and dance in an environment they’ve never been able to do before, was a great opportunity for them,” says Jackson. “My heart has always been to give them the best and most opportunities to explore their talents and their dreams and dream bigger than they thought they could.”

Emily Elizabeth Miller, 11, who was cast as Cruella Deville in the upcoming Tea performance in March, joined SOPA in 2017.

“My favorite part about the New York Steppin’ Out trip was that I got to spend time with all my second family,” she says. “It was just fun being in New York since it felt like a whole big family road trip.” NCM

Emily

The Art of Container Gardening

Written by DANIELLE ERNEST | Photographed by BETH NEELY

Container gardening is an art that combines colors, textures, shapes and sizes to create a gorgeous display.

The first step is determining whether your container garden will be in full sun, part sun or shade. Full sun requires six or more hours of direct sunlight, while part sun means receiving four to six hours of direct sunlight. Shade is considered anything less than four hours of direct sunlight. This determination will help you in selecting plants right for your container.

The next step is deciding on the pottery that works for your container garden. If placing a container garden next to your front door, a color that complements the house or door color would be best. If the front door is red, pottery in a complementary red would be appealing.

If a bold color choice in pottery is selected, plants need to go along with that color. Picking neutral color pottery, like gray or black, allows a more diverse assortment of colors for plant material. Selecting the right pottery is a decision not to take lightly since it’s quite an investment and should be a mainstay at your home for years to come. Make sure to pick what you absolutely love. Some of my own favorite pieces of pottery have come from estate sales.

In the South, selecting a larger container is suitable since watering the container garden will become a priority. With a larger container, the soil retains more moisture and is able to go longer without watering. Drip irrigation is of great benefit, if available.

Speaking of soil, use a good potting soil which allows for good drainage. There’s no need to place rocks or fillers at the bottom of the container as the plants are drawing needed nutrients from the soil.

After placing potting soil in the container, add a slow-release fertilizer, such as Oscomote, which releases when soil temperature reaches

above 70 degrees. Watering and fertilizing with liquid fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro, Bayer Advance or Dr. Earth is important for the success of the container garden. For fertilizing, look at the manufacturing packaging for directions; applying every seven to 14 days is typically recommended for liquid fertilization. Think of fertilizer as vitamins that plants need to grow; just like you and I need vitamins and water everyday, so do plants.

Now comes the fun part: selecting plants. As noted earlier, the level of sunlight your container gets determines the plants that will work best in it.

Several websites offer plant searches, such as Proven Winners at provenwinner.com and Better Homes & Gardens at bhg.com. Both websites can help you select plants for your specific environment and also have great suggestions for full sun or shade container gardens.

Doing some research online and looking at container garden images can inspire you. If you’re a first-time gardener, you might want to stick to the suggestions given. If you have a certain plan and your garden center doesn’t have the exact plants you’re looking for, have substitutions in mind or ask someone at the garden center to help with a substitution.

There are three basic elements to a container garden: a thriller, a filler and a spiller:

1.

A thriller is considered a plant that brings height to the container. Types of plants that could be considered thrillers include elephant ears (Alocasia), canna lilies (Canna generalis), ornamental grasses, coleus, saliva and angelonia, among others. This plant will be the backdrop of your canvas and will anchor the container. When selecting the color scheme, use all complementary colors or colors within the same shade. In a 16-inch container garden, typically one thriller is needed, depending on its size.

2.

Next is your filler. This plant will go in front of the thriller, so its mature height is important

when selecting. You will not want the filler to get larger than the thriller. Examples of filler plants include begonias, cuphea, dahlia, euphoria and double impatiens. These are upright plants in containers that fill the space in between the thriller and spiller. Typically, one to two thriller plants are needed for a 16-inch container. These plants can all be the same, but having different filler plants will add another color and possible texture to your container garden.

3.

Spillers are the plants that trail out of the container. Asparagus fern, calibrachoa, cichondra, ivy and sweet potato vine are all considered types of spillers. Depending on the size that is purchased, typically three plants are needed for a 16-inch container.

Think of the container garden as your canvas as you select different colors, textures, shapes and sizes to blend to make a marvelous masterpiece. Most of all, have fun with it and make sure the end result incorporates your favorite plants and pottery. NCM

The Resurrection Run

Written by BOB COMEANS

Ifinally gave in. I ran my first 5K road race. Well‚ ran is a subjective term. Let’s just say I was putting one foot in front of another to achieve forward motion. I was able to keep this up for about 41 of the longest minutes I’ve experienced in quite a while.

This all started about six weeks earlier at our church when the pastor talked about something called The Resurrection Run‚ a nice little activity to get people out into nature‚ exercising‚ and to raise a little money for a local charity.

My wife and I decided to sign up and start training. I downloaded the “Couch to 5K” app on my phone and we got to work. Due to our conflicting schedules‚ my lovely wife and I only got to train together‚ as a couple‚ one afternoon over the next six weeks.

The other five weeks‚ I’d grab my little terrier mix and we’d go hit the local track. Our little dog weighs in at a whopping 12 pounds. He got up to 13 pounds once‚ and the vet told us he was overweight‚ so we try to help him out with that by getting him out of the house.

We’ve also tried to help this little dog compensate for his size by naming him Thor. Now‚ who can’t help but smile when they see a dog the size of Grandma’s purse going by a name like that‚ Thor? We’re a family of comedians, and I guess he’s the punch line. Thor doesn’t mind because he knows we love him.

Out on the track‚ on leash‚ Thor is a pulling machine. He’d yank

Share Your Prose

and pull with me trying to slow him down on our three-mile route. If no one was around, I’d take off his leash and we’d both be happier for it. I’d watch him run five or six miles to my three. Something about circles and figure eights just appeals to him‚ I guess.

Race day Saturday arrived and so did the crowd. Caren looked great in her new outfit. I was a little self conscious in my new neon green shoe laces that I’d let the young kid at the sports store sell me.

Athletes milled around until the pastor gathered everyone for a little meditation before the start of things. He talked about the resurrection of Jesus and the miracle of His rising.

All I could think was‚ “It’s going to take a miracle to get me across the finish line.”

The pastor also suggested we run as if we were headed to the tomb to see Jesus – and try to imagine sharing that glory. He also said that anyone who beat him would get a “Faster than the Pastor” sticker as a reward for that accomplishment.

After a short prayer‚ we were off. That pastor took off like a shot. The only thing I could figure was‚ he must have had a little more to be forgiven about‚ so he wanted to be first in line at the tomb. Either that‚ or they didn’t print up enough “Faster than the Pastor” stickers‚ so he had to beat most of us so no one would be disappointed.

My wife and I finished the course separately. She talked the whole way with a girlfriend, I panted the

whole way‚ and the pastor‚ well‚ I never saw him again until the finish line.

What impressed me the most, was not the fastest runners‚ but a friend of mine‚ who stopped running and fell back. He slowed to walk with a 78-year-old gentleman who was struggling. Together‚ they triumphantly finished in last place.

I think I learned something then. This wasn’t about running. This was about relationships – relationships with your God‚ your family‚ your friends‚ your wife‚ that old man‚ and yes‚ even our little dog Thor.

I’m going to sign up again next year. I’m going to finish last‚ and I hope I’m walking beside a 79-yearold man‚ listening to his stories‚ and trying to get Thor to slow the heck down.

Are you a closet poet? Or a creator of short fiction?

Share your best work with us and we may publish it in an upcoming issue of Newnan-Coweta Magazine.

Submit your work along with your name, address, email address and daytime phone number to magazine@ newnan.com or mail to or drop by our office at Newnan-Coweta Magazine, 16 Jefferson St., Newnan, GA 30263.

Edible Art for All Too Beautiful to Eat?

Written and Photographed by DANIELLE ERNEST

Renowned artists, from Claude Monet to Vincent Van Gogh, drew inspiration for their artwork from God’s beautiful creation – nature.

Monet said: “I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers.”

Nature has a way of inspiring creativity in all of us. From artists to writers to pastry chefs, the finished product – the painting, the book or article, the dessert – is all an expression of art.

Van Gogh’s top 15 famous paintings include sunflowers, irises, almond blossoms and the starry night sky.

“If one truly loves nature, one finds beauty anywhere,” is how Van Gogh so eloquently stated it.

Here is a tribute to art and nature through the expression of edible masterpieces. Making these recipes will be fun for kids and adults alike. They just might be too beautiful to eat, but you will anyway!

Watercolor Sugar Cookies

Watercolor Sugar Cookies

Cookies:

2 cups granulated sugar

1½ cups butter, softened

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons whole vanilla bean paste

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Royal Icing:

4 cups sifted powdered sugar

6 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons meringue powder

Watercolor Paint:

1-2 drops gel food coloring (preferred colors)

1 drop vodka per color

Edible markers (optional)

Gather all ingredients. Beat sugar and softened butter in a mixing bowl with electric mixer or a stand mixer until the mixture is smooth. Mix in eggs and vanilla bean paste until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt, and then add to wet ingredients. Once mixed well, cover and chill for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out sugar cookie dough on lightly floured surface to ¼-to-½ inch thickness. Cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. Place cookies one inch apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Bake 6 to 8 minutes until the cookies are slightly golden brown, then transfer to a cooling rack. To get the cookies to cool quickly, place them in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes.

As cookies are cooling, prepare royal icing by mixing those ingredients together. After cookies have fully cooled, use a spoon or an icing bag to spread icing evenly over the tops. Allow icing to dry thoroughly for 24 to 48 hours before applying the watercolor paint.

Once the cookies are ready to paint, take a palette and put one to two drops of gel food coloring into section. Add a small amount of vodka to each section of food coloring. The vodka helps the paint to dry quickly. Paint whatever your heart wishes on these miniature canvases. Guests will marvel at your gorgeous edible works of art! Serve on a solid color platter so that the artwork pops off the plate.

For the Artist: Use this recipe to make painter’s palettes as well; just switch to a palette-shaped cookie cutter and, when decorating, create pools of color for paint.

Beautiful Flower Salad

1 bag of Mesclun Greens Lettuce Mix

Pansies, nasturtium flowers and leaves, chive blossoms, peonies from the garden

1-2 radishes (use watermelon radish for colorful option)

Strawberries or blueberries (optional)

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing:

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 shallot, finely minced

1 clove garlic, micro-planed

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Mix salad ingredients as you desire. Be sure to wash all flowers picked from the garden well to remove any pesticide/chemical residue and/or organic debris.

Place dressing ingredients in a mason jar and shake vigorously. Remove lid and taste to confirm it is to your liking. Make necessary changes, such as adding more salt and pepper. Place dressing in a fancy pitcher and set on table for guests to add as much or as little as they desire to their salad.

Peony Lemon Ginger Scones

Nature has a way of inspiring us. One day, as my peony plant was blooming, I decided to look up ways to use it in cooking or baking. Peonies can be eaten; they are commonly enjoyed raw in salads but are also suitable for making jams or syrups. They give a delicate fruity flavor to whatever they are paired with. I decided to dry the petals, pulse them into a fine dust in the food processor and combine them with the flour in this scone recipe.

2¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

½ cup peony dust (dried peony petals, pulsed in food processor)

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup finely chopped

crystallized ginger

½ teaspoon ground ginger

Grated zest of 2 lemons

1¾ sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 to 10 pieces

½ cup cold buttermilk

½ cup cold heavy cream

2 large eggs, well chilled

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixer, combine flour, peony dust, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, crystallized ginger, ground ginger and lemon zest. After combining, add butter and beat on low until only small pieces remain. In a liquid-measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, cream, eggs and grated ginger. With mixer on low, add buttermilk mixture and beat until dough just comes together, about 20 to 30 seconds.

Remove bowl from mixer. Using your hands, gather and lift dough, turning it over in the bowl, until remaining flour mixture has been incorporated into dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently roll out 1-inch thick. Use a 2½-inch cutter, or simply cut the dough into triangles if you prefer. Transfer to a parchmentlined baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Plate with a peony bloom next to it or in a vase next to the plate letting your guests know how unique and special these scones baked for them really are.

Optional Lemon Glaze for Scones:

1 cup powdered sugar

2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Zest of one lemon

Mix ingredients together in small mixing bowl. Taste to determine whether the lemon flavor stands out. If additional lemon is required, feel free to enhance it further. Brush glaze onto warm scones or drizzle it over them using a fork.

Baker’s Note: If you do not have peonies growing in your garden, petals can be purchased online. When using directly from the garden, make sure that no chemicals or pesticides have been sprayed on the plants. This recipe could be modified by using other edible flowers such as roses, chamomile, lavender and more.

Lavender Shortbread Cookies

½ cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons dried lavender

Zest of one lemon

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¼-½ cup turbinado (coarse) sugar

Place powdered sugar, lavender and lemon zest in a food processor and pulse several times until all is well incorporated. Add softened butter to food processor and cream with sugar. Next, add flour and salt. Mix until completely combined, without overmixing. Remove dough and place it on plastic wrap. Cover dough completely and roll into an 8-inch log. The dough will be sticky. Refrigerate dough for at least 4 hours; it can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two days if made in advance.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice chilled dough into ¼-inch cookies. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack.

Serve on a gorgeous dish topped with a few fresh sprigs of lavender from the garden or with buds sprinkled around the plate.

Baker’s Note: When baking with lavender, make sure to buy the kind specified for culinary use and not for use in soap or skin care making. This kind will have a very different taste to it.

Spring M&M Cookies

2½ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

14 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup light brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

3 teaspoons whole vanilla bean paste

1¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus more for topping

1 cup Easter M&Ms, plus more for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Into a bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Make sure the mixture is smooth and has no lumps.

In stand mixer, beat butter and sugars for about 1 minute, or until creamed. Add egg and vanilla bean paste to butter mixture and stir again. Scrape sides of the bowl down and gradually add dry ingredients until combined.

Mix in chocolate chips, then switch to a plastic spatula or wooden spoon as the mixer will break the M&Ms. Stir in M&Ms. Scoop into balls and place 8 on each parchmentlined cookie sheet. Press 2 to 3 M&Ms on top of each dough ball. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Cookies will appear slightly underbaked. Remove from oven to a wire cooling rack.

Baker’s Note: You can easily adapt this recipe for different holidays by swapping the M&Ms for colors that match occasions, like red, white and blue for the Fourth of July or red, green and gold for Christmas. NCM

Blacktop

KEEP NEWNAN BEAUTIFUL 2026 EVENTS

March 21 - Electronics Recycling

April 18 - Earth Day Litter Pickup

April 25 - DEA Drug Takeback*

May 2 - Paper Shredding/Textile Recycling

August 29 - Paper Shredding

September 26 - Paint Recycling (FEES APPLY)

October 24 - DEA Drug Takeback*

November 14 - Paper Shredding

Over-consumption

Iwrote a weekly column in The Newnan Times-Herald for the better part of seven or eight years. I’d miss a week here and there, but I was mostly faithful. I think. Then, at some point, I ran out of things to write about. That’s not entirely true. I never stopped liking to write. I just couldn’t figure out what was worth saying.

A few weeks ago, it finally occurred to me that I may have talked myself into believing I was “staying informed,” when in reality I was just consuming everything in sight: podcasts in the car, news feeds while waiting in line, television at night, social media in the quiet spaces between everything else. It all felt responsible. Productive, even. After all, staying up to date matters, right?

But somewhere along the way, I noticed something uncomfortable. I was consuming constantly and creating almost never.

There’s nothing wrong with consumption. Books matter. Podcasts can be enlightening. Films can move us. Art is meant to be taken in.

But consumption without creation eventually starts to feel empty. You can only absorb so much before something inside you wants to answer back.

Creation isn’t reserved for artists, writers or musicians. It’s not a luxury. It’s part of how we’re wired. We weren’t made only to receive – but to respond as well, to make something in return, even if it’s small: words, ideas, meaning.

Lately, I’ve realized how easy it is to confuse stimulation with fulfillment. Endless scrolling feels busy, but leaves no evidence you were ever there. Another episode disappears as soon as the screen goes dark. Another podcast replaces the last one. Nothing lingers, because nothing came from me. Creation leaves fingerprints. Even imperfect creation counts: a paragraph written, a rough sketch, a few wrong notes on a guitar, something built that doesn’t quite work. Those things remind us we’re participants, not just observers.

Art, in all its forms, is how people process the world. It’s how we deal with fear, joy, grief, faith, doubt and hope. When we stop creating, we don’t stop feeling those things. We just stop giving them somewhere to go. They pile up.

The modern world makes consumption easy. Algorithms reward passivity. Platforms profit from attention, not expression.

Creation takes effort. Silence. Discomfort. It asks something of us. Consumption asks almost nothing. Just one more click.

That’s the danger. When we don’t create, we slowly hand our inner lives over to other people’s voices. We quote instead of speak. We react instead of reflect. We lose confidence in our ability to shape meaning for ourselves.

Creating doesn’t require quitting your job or finding an audience. It requires choosing to make instead of scroll, to write instead of refresh, to build instead of binge, to risk being bad at something in exchange for being alive in it.

Creation isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always efficient. But it’s honest work. Lately, I’ve been trying to do a little more of that. Small things. Imperfect things. Less consuming. More making. Less noise. More voice.

The world doesn’t need fewer podcasts or shows. But you might need more of your own ideas out in the open. I know I do.

Because a life spent only consuming is a life observed.

A life that creates, even quietly, is a life fully lived.

Southern-born and Southern-bred, Toby Nix is a local writer who works in law enforcement.

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