Natural Times – Jul/Aug 2019

free take one

Summer 2019 • The Nene's Pass It Forward • Sensational Berry Smoothies • Introducing Christine White, Nutrition Expert

Summertime Fun

1235 Apalachee Pkwy Tallahassee, FL 32301 850.942.2557 Open Daily 8 am - 10 pm www.newleafmarket.coop

THANKS TO Managing Editor Asari Fletcher Layout + Design Diane Bass Board of Directors Christina Brown, President Dennis Smith, Vice President Holger Ciupalo, Treasurer Folayan Barnes, Director Alexandra La Torre, Director Dominique Reed, Director General Manager Ben Goldberg

We would additionally like to thank the loyal members of our co-op!

Every year, we long for the summer season. We remember the sunny days, gorgeous beaches nearby, and leisure time with family and friends. Somehow, those sunny days in our memory weren’t as hot as when summer comes around again! The Co-op is my go-to for cooling off. As an avid fruit lover, I flock to all of Christina Brown, President the seasonal fruits and herbal ice teas to keep me going. It’s a great time to spend an extra few minutes exploring products that you may routinely glaze over during the busy spring and fall. Try something new!

I’ve watched as the Co-op has reignited the creativity of new recipes, new products and deli items. I’m super excited about the Green Team and their exemplary efforts in reducing our impact on the environment. It has made me more aware and conscious in my personal life, knowing that those around me are taking the same efforts. What’s one thing that you can change to reduce your carbon footprint?

Speaking of carbon footprints, have you been following our grants on the website? The grant committee is now reviewing applications for the food grant, and will soon review the applications for the community grant. Each year, the committee dedicates hours to reviewing and learning about the different nonprofit organizations seeking additional funding. It is truly gratifying to know all the people that are committed to helping every area of our community. It always brings the Board back to why New Leaf is here and how we impact our neighbors.

Our neighbors are why New Leaf has been successful and impactful to the Tallahassee community. The Board has been in the position of making some tough decisions and ensuring that due diligence is met for the owners that we represent. Lately, we’ve noticed that some of our neighbors’ voices or concerns may not be heard. We always welcome your thoughts and ideas.

Although we host two meetings each year, owners are welcome to any Board meeting, generally held on the last Monday of each month. Join us sometime!

Sincerely, Christina Brown, Board President Christina.brown@board.newleafmarket.coop

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Natural Times | New Leaf Market Co-op

Summer 2019

Say Hello To Summer Independence Day

July 4, 2019

We take our independence pretty seriously here at the co-op (it’s actually one of our core principles, #4 Autonomy & Independence). We’re also pretty serious about cooking out, eating al fresco, with watermelon juice dripping down to our elbows!

Stop in for all your July 4th party fixin’s and don’t forget to pick up some sunscreen.

Kids’ Free Day

July 20, 2019 10:15am – 1:00pm Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee 200 S. Duval St. Tallahassee, FL The third Saturday of every month is Kid's Free Day at the CLC! At 10:15am, please join the CLC for interactive activities, science demonstrations, and a FREE IMAX or Planetarium show for kids 12 and under (with a paying adult). For more information, call 850-645-7796 or go to https://bit.ly/2ZkrBix. Art Reception – Creativity in Oils and Acrylics

July 16, 2019 6:00pm– 8:00pm Tallahassee Senior Center 1400 North Monroe St. Tallahassee, FL

Paintings from TSC students in all styles and subject matter are on display in TSC Auditorium May 20

through July. The reception, which includes announcement of juror awards and an opportunity to cast your vote for People's Choice awards, is scheduled for Tuesday, July 16, 6– 8 pm.

Grape Harvest Festival 2019

FSU Summer Chorale

August 24, 2019 8:00am – 4:00pm FAMU Center for Viticulture & Small Fruit Research 6361 Mahan Dr. Tallahassee, FL 32308 19th Annual Grape Harvest Festival on Saturday, August 24, 2019 from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Be sure to share about the festival on social media using #FAMUgrapefest!

The FSU College of Music Choral area is pleased to present the Summer Chorale, a concert of new and traditional vocal works.

Thursday, July 25, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. in Opperman Music Hall. Admission to this performance is free and open to the public.

Celebrate family, food, fun, and agricultural discovery in recognition of FAMU’s role as a national leader in viticulture research. Featured activities include the popular grape stomping contest, a kids petting zoo, water slides, a grape throwing competition, a grape and wine sampling, a hula hoop competition, live entertainment, the 5K/2K vineyard run and walk-a-thon, grape picking, a health fair, and more than 60 community exhibitors and vendors.

For more information, go to https:// bit.ly/2WsbzRF or call 850.891.4000.

July 25, 2019 7:30pm – 10pm Opperman Music Hall Florida State University 114 N. Copeland St. Tallahassee, FL

For more information, go to https://bit.ly/2Wq9WE5 or call 850.644.6102.

Owner Appreciation Days

August 18-19, 2019 New Leaf Market Co-op 1235 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, FL

In addition to the various familyfriendly activities, participants will have an opportunity to tour more than 45 acres of the University’s premier muscadine grape vineyard.

For more information, go to https://bit.ly/2K9FmgC or call 850.

599.3996

Owners stop in for extra discounts!

Also meet some of our LOCAL vendors and enjoy samples of their products. Not an owner yet? Join now to take advantage of this benefit! www.newleafmarket.coop/owner-info Summer 2019

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Thanks in part to a 2018 $1,000 Community Grant from New Leaf, the Nenes have indeed been able to pass it forward. The grant recipient was Neighbor to Neighbor in the Nenes (N3). Their mission is to help elders in Indianhead/Lehigh (I/L) stay in their homes as long as possible as they age. N3 does this by marshaling resources and linking them to elders who need them.

Frequently the "resource" is a neighbor who has volunteered to provide a ride, or to take over a meal or help with yard maintenance. By providing these free services that meet a very practical need, neighbors are also promoting a healthy lifestyle by addressing isolation and loneliness that can plague elders, even those living in the midst of a friendly community like I/L.

The Nenes Pass It Forward

Because some elders become frail and vulnerable as they age, it is important to make sure that all volunteers assigned to help them can be expected to be appropriate and reliable. One of the best ways to tackle this issue is to conduct background checks on all volunteers. This is where the Community Grant from New Leaf comes in. To date, N3 has recruited 36 volunteers to serve their elderly neighbors. Of these, 14 already had background checks and were able to be added to the volunteer list immediately. The remaining 22 received their background check through Verified Volunteers at a cost of $19 each. Seven of the 22 voluntarily paid for their own check leaving 15 paid for

by N3 using the New Leaf grant funds, a total of $285.

N3 adds volunteers frequently as new needs become apparent, new volunteers come forward and experienced volunteers become temporarily or permanently inactive. Even so, the $1,000 grant to pay for background checks is likely to be able to be used for more than the one year grant period thanks to the generosity of some volunteers and the fact that some others are able to provide proof of clearance from another organization. In any case, New Leaf was instrumental in making it possible to pass it forward in Neneland so elders have a better chance to reduce isolation and loneliness.

"The Nenes" (nee-nees) refers to the neighborhoods of Indianhead and Lehigh located a little south and east of New Leaf Market Co-op off Magnolia Drive. Many of the streets in those neighborhoods have Nene as part of their names – Kolopakin Nene, Ostinpakin Nene, etc. It is thought that "nene" is a Seminole word meaning trail. Residents there frequently refer to themselves as Nenelanders.

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Natural Times | New Leaf Market Co-op

Summer 2019

New Leaf's

Team

Community Clean Up

Flourishes Produce Bags

Like our shoppers, single-use plastic has been on our mind. While we're working on alternatives to plastic produce bags, we thought we'd draw your attention to our paper produce bags. We've always had them, but they've been hard to see. They're brown bags in a brown box on a brown produce stand—not exactly eye-catching. So, we've added these bright signs to each box to draw your attention away from the plastic bags. We have five bag boxes for your convenience.

Remember, most produce comes in its own natural case, so feel free to skip the bag!

On April 27, New Leaf hosted its first community clean up. New Leaf staff and shoppers picked up trash from behind the co-op on Lafayette to Cascades Park. Look at that trash haul! Our crew picked up bottles, tires, clothes, and food that were littering our roads. Stay tuned for more co-op sponsored clean-ups in our area!

Boxes & Plates

You may have noticed new plates showing up at the hot bar, and new to-go boxes at our Friday cookouts.

That's because we switched to plates and containers that are compostable and made with renewable sugar cane AND they're locally made in Belle Glade, Florida!

Green and local? It doesn't get much better than that.

Summer 2019

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Photo by Scott Warman on Unsplash

Be Like Canada:

Reduce Your Single-Use Plastics By: Mary O'Brien

I have been trying to lead a life free of disposable plastic for probably a little over a year now. I’m not exactly sure when I officially made the commitment.

Similarly, I’m not exactly sure when I became a fullfledged vegetarian. I had preferred vegetarian options for a long time and had avoided preparing meat at home, but I don’t know at what point I decided chicken stock was no longer okay, for example. But at some point I did. And from then on I have been firm in my convictions. I am that way with single use plastic now, too. Learning the skill of making a lifestyle 6

Natural Times | New Leaf Market Co-op

commitment that is different from popular culture like I did when I became a vegetarian has really helped me be successful. A number of things have made my transition smoother, and I’d like to share them with you. I make decisions ahead of time, anticipate challenges and prepare for them, and I’m constantly seeking out new solutions and more people, groups and businesses to connect with who share my values.

I help myself live out my values by constantly thinking ahead. For example, if I am going to a bar I anticipate

Summer 2019

accepted in their new country by these Americans and not offend them by rejecting their gift, which was considered very rude in their native land. After much deliberation they tried to politely sip the milk. The story has always stuck with me. Would I drink cow pee if I knew refusing it could be offensive? I guess if the situation were dire enough I would. The characters in the story I think felt the situation was dire, so they did what they had to do to try to make it in this country. I am privileged to not be in that position.

So when I am offered a piece of party cake on a Styrofoam plate with a plastic fork, I imagine the plate and fork as dog poop and say, "no thank you".

Mary O'Brien has been living in Tallahassee for about 2.5 years.

She is originally from Minnesota, but has moved around a lot as an adult. Wherever she has lived, she has strived to lead an environmentally conscious lifestyle. When not researching plastic-free options, you can find her walking her dogs, tending to her plants or going out to eat with friends.

they might serve drinks in single-use plastic cups with a straw, and decide ahead of time how to navigate that. Tell the bartender I don’t use disposable plastic and ask them to serve my drink in a glass cup instead?

Order something in a bottle or can? Just not get anything and hang out empty-handed for awhile? Is there a bar in the area that doesn’t serve single-use plastic I can suggest we go to instead? Will I be able to go home earlier than everyone else if the places everyone wants to go to use disposable plastic?

Thinking all this through ahead of time and being determined to stick to my values is key. People pick up on indecision. I often compare disposable plastic to dog poop in my mind and that helps me be firm in refusing it. As a teenager I read a novel about a child who immigrated to the United States with their father.

They thought cow’s milk was cow pee, and while a guest in someone’s home in the U.S., they were offered a large glass of milk. The father and son looked at each other, both panicked and repulsed. They did not want to drink cow pee, but they wanted to be

There are many situations where I know disposable plastic-free options probably won’t be available so I provide for myself. Traveling is a big one. If I don’t pack my own water bottle and reusable utensils, there is a good chance I will carry a hard time finding zero waste options. I have a set of bamboo cutlery in my purse at all times, and own several water bottles to choose from.

Finally, I am always trying to find kindred spirits.

It's not easy being an outsider. I breathe a huge sigh of relief when I find an organization or a person who is committed to improving the environment through small, everyday decisions. When I learn about a company that shares my values and works hard to provide alternatives, I feel better. Because it is hard work. Hard work that is well worth it. I am interested in being a kindred spirit to you. You are not alone in this effort and neither am I. Follow me an Instagram on @mary_disposableplasticfree. I will share my experiences and tricks as I live a life without disposable plastic here in Tallahassee. Join me.

No-pa ck age & e pa ck age op ti on sreavuaisalablbl e!

e r o t s n i y p co d r a h a p u Pick s n o p u o c e v i for exclus Summer 2019

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Sensational Berry Smoothies Blending is believing! These splendid smoothies are bursting with berry goodness.

T

Hidden-Spinach Berry Smoothie

he smoothie — a drinkable breakfast, snack, or workout drink — is one of the easiest culinary creations to make at home.

Serves: 2. Prep time: 10 minutes.

2 cups frozen or fresh raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, or a mix 3 cups spinach (packed) 1 cup yogurt, kefir, or a non-dairy alternative like almond milk 1 large banana, fresh or frozen

A variation on the kinds of fruity drinks made in tropical countries for years, it was christened “smoothie” in the 1960s. As it grew to include healthy add-ins, boosting it from a snack to a meal, the smoothie began to inch into the healthy mainstream.

Suddenly, smoothies were everywhere!

Put the berries and spinach in the blender first, and add the yogurt and banana. Process, scraping down as needed. Blend until smooth and serve.

Check out these sensational berry smoothies as a starting point. Each one is simple and completely delicious.

You’ll enjoy a salad's worth of healthy spinach in this luscious smoothie, and hardly notice it's there!

Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find these and other recipes, plus information about your food and where it comes from at www.strongertogether.coop.

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Natural Times | New Leaf Market Co-op

Summer 2019

Strawberry-Pomegranate Smoothie

Mixed Berry and Oat Smoothie with Granola

Serves: 2. Prep time: 5 minutes.

Serves: 2. Prep time: 5 minutes.

2 cups frozen strawberries 1 large frozen banana, cut in chunks 1 cup kefir, yogurt, or a non-dairy alternative like almond milk 1 cup pomegranate juice 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

2 cups frozen mixed berries 4 ounces firm silken tofu 1 ⁄4 cup rolled oats 1 1⁄2 cups vanilla soymilk or other milk 1 ⁄2 cup granola In a blender, place the mixed berries, then tofu, oats and soymilk. Process until smooth. Serve in two glasses, with 1⁄4 cup of granola on top of each.

In a blender, pile in the strawberries and frozen banana, then add kefir and pomegranate juice. Process to puree; serve garnished with pomegranate seeds. If the smoothie is too thick to blend, add milk or a non-dairy alternative as needed.

Pomegranate juice is an antioxidant superstar, and its wonderfully tart flavor is balanced by banana and creamy kefir.

Summer 2019

Berries disguise the secret ingredient (tofu!) and a sprinkle of granola adds a tasty crunch.

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Natural Times | New Leaf Market Co-op

Summer 2019

Back To School Special Pack Better Bag Lunches By: Mary Choate Printed with permission from the Hanover Consumer Cooperative Society, Inc. Copyright 2010.

Brown Bag Lunches can get boring if they are the same old thing over and over again. Kids may trade to get a lunch that they find more fun to eat. For adults, boredom can lead to a trip to the vending machine or convenience store—a difficult place to find healthful choices. The solution is to mix it up with nutritious and fun choices from Choose My Plate's Healthy Eating Tips (choosemyplate.gov).

Vegetable choices— pick two or more 1/2 cup servings: • Three bean salad, with added beets and olives, dressed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil • Hummus (garbanzo bean spread) • Vegetable soup (1-cup) in a thermos or microwave safe container • Baby carrots • Celery sticks • Cherry or grape tomatoes • Cooked okra pods • Cooked green beans • Sweet pepper strips • Cooked corn on the cob (6” ear= ½ cup; 8-9” ear =1 cup) • Salad (1 cup) with one tablespoon of dressing Fruit choices—pick one: • Favorite fall apples • Dried fruit packed in a one-quarter cup • container • Frozen berries packed in a one-half cup container (they thaw by lunchtime) • One cup 100% juice

foods safe until lunch time.

Dairy/high calcium choices—pick one: • Chocolate milk or calcium–fortified soy milk • Yogurt • String cheese • Light cheese rounds or triangle wedges • High calcium hot cocoa packet, or already made up in a thermos • Pudding

Pick from these whole grains choices— pick one or two: • Whole grain crackers • Whole grain mini-bagel or pita bread • Toasted whole grain English muffin • Low fat granola in a one-quarter cup container • Low fat bran muffin • Whole grain rice or pasta salad

Protein choices—pick one: • Turkey or chicken breast or roast beef slices • Canned tuna, salmon or other fish • Bean salad or spread from above (beans count as protein AND vegetable) • Flavored baked tofu or tempeh chunks • Chunky peanut butter, sunflower seed or almond butter

Think Outside The Bag To start thinking “outside the bag,” use the ideas below to put together a fun lunch that brown baggers of all ages will enjoy. Be sure to add your favorites to the list!

Note: Add a freezer pack and insulated bag to keep

You can create delicious lunch combinations, for example: • Whole grain crackers and cheese, chicken and vegetable soup in a thermos, a serving of celery sticks, chocolate milk to drink and a Ginger Gold apple.

• Three-bean salad with grape tomatoes, low fat bran muffin and thawed frozen fruit topped with yogurt.

• Toasted whole grain English muffin with tomato, turkey, and low fat cheese with 100% grape juice to drink.

Spring/Summer 2019

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Introducing Christine White, Nutrition Expert We’re excited to join forces with Christine White as our Nutrition Expert to assist you in making the healthiest food choices for you and your family!

She’s here to help YOU: Navigate the wide range of ever-changing dietary recommendations and trends, Explore new ingredients to infuse greater nutrition into every bite, Better understand food sensitivities and how to manage them, Prepare nutritious meals on a budget and amidst a busy schedule that the whole family will love, and • Use food for fuel to keep your body in tip-top shape far into the future.

• • • •

Christine is a Certified Nutrition Health Coach, Fitness Trainer and Yoga Instructor whose greatest passion is helping people achieve their happiest, healthiest version of themselves. Her holistic approach focuses on achieving long-lasting results by addressing a person’s full scope of well-being rather than a single diagnosis, health concern or challenge. She helps people just like you make sustainable healthy lifestyle changes toward achieving your optimal health and wellness in the areas of nutrition, physical activity, work-life balance, stress reduction, sleep, home cooking, joy and more. Christine’s positive attitude and motivating spirit combined with her expert knowledge and diverse experience encourages people at all stages along their wellness journey to take control of their own well-being with an emphasis on realistic and sustainable goals.

Recipe Alert!

Christine has a super duper delicious, nutritious, easy-to-make snack that’s perfect for summer road trips or back-to-school lunch boxes.

Spoiler Alert: If you love the taste of a FUDGY brownie but want to avoid added sugar, flour, gluten and other additives but still want it to taste amazing and be loaded with nutrients… you’ve gotta try this recipe!

Email Christine at christine@ coachchristinewhite. com to get the recipe in your in-box so you can be enjoying fudgy bliss ASAP.

Christine is partnering with NLMC to support our mission to provide education and information about our natural and organic foods and products as we continually strive to build a vibrant and healthy local community. Stay tuned for lots of fun and educational ways to interact with Christine! She will offer: • Store tours themed around today’s hot topics in nutrition and wellness, • Workshops to equip you with practical tips and tools to infuse more wellness into your own life, • Articles and recipes in this magazine to help you explore new ingredients and nutrition topics, and • One-on-one personalized chats for you to address your specific nutrition and wellness questions, challenges and goals.

Don’t miss out on these opportunities to connect with Christine! Stay in the loop by following us on Facebook @ NewLeafMarketCoop and Instagram @NewLeafMarketTL. And follow along with Christine directly on Facebook @CoachChristineWhite or reach her via email at christine@coachchristinewhite.com.

Christine runs her own health coaching business, holds nutrition and wellness workshops, conducts in-home personal fitness training, teaches yoga and other group fitness classes around town, and is a fitness trainer and yoga instructor for the City of Tallahassee and digital media consultant for Working Well, our local workplace wellness nonprofit. She also serves on the Boards of Girls on the Run of the Big Bend, and Sustainable Tallahassee, and is the proud mom of a 10-year-old daughter who enjoys helping mom carry out her mission of wellness. We’re thrilled to add NLMC’s Nutrition Expert into the mix and hope you get to connect with Christine at one of our events soon!

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Natural Times | New Leaf Market Co-op

Summer 2019

New Leaf Market Co-op Community Art Wall

Featured Artist of the Month: Bridget Noel Welch Get to know our July artist — Bridget Noel Welch When did you first become interested in art?

I have always been interested in art. I can remember being four, and waking up and sitting down to color immediately at a little table in my bedroom. I remember making a cardinal out of construction paper in art in 1st grade, and gluing the eye on differently than I meant to, and having it serendipitously look even more realistic than I’d intended.

I loved experimenting with all the different media we used in school art classes, and seemed to have an aptitude for a lot of it and abundant creativity. I also love writing and dancing.

I discovered my love of painting during my senior year of high school. My best friend took a painting class, and she got really into it, so when I went to her house, we’d paint. We’d paint on anything we could find—paper bags, pieces of cardboard, an oxford shirt, my Converse Chuck Taylors, my jean shorts…

Another thing worth noting that affected and continues to affect my art, is something my older sister said, when I was about four and we were coloring in activity books: “When we color these in, we’re bringing them to life.” For me, it still feels that way. Doing visual art feels to me like I’m doing some kind of magic.

Did you go to art school, and, if so, where?

I didn’t go to art school. I began painting at the end of high school, and in college at University of Central Florida, I took Art 2-D Design and Drawing I because they were prerequisites for the Painting class.

I learned a lot about art, and learned that I could draw well if I took my time and really looked at things. As it turned out, I never took the Painting class, as I got more involved in my major which was Anthropology, and also because I let myself be intimidated by a tiny, grouchy art student who whined that she didn’t like when non-art majors took up space in the Art classes. I laugh about it now, but I was easier to intimidate back then.

I tell this story now to encourage others to ignore people like her and follow their passions no matter what other people say.

I have thus been largely self-taught. I have painted over the years for my own enjoyment, my own expression, finding it very satisfying and not caring much what others thought of it, as it was the act of painting that pleased me most of all. In more recent years, I felt it was time to share my art more in the world, so I have begun to participate in art shows. I like booking shows, because it encourages me to produce more art. In some stages of life I have put painting aside, feeling too busy working, raising a family, etc.

Committing to an art show means I have to paint, I can’t put my passion aside, so it’s a built-in way to make sure I do what I love.

Which artist of the past would you most like to meet?

Vincent Van Gogh has always intrigued me. When I was a younger person, I think his mental illness was intriguing to me. I always liked people who were different, and I might have had a codependent draw to people who could’ve used some extra love. I’ve channeled that urge to heal into my Massage Therapy and Yoga teaching practices now.

But regarding his art, I have always loved his thick paint, the textures, and I sense a lot of passion in his brush strokes and color choices. There’s a raw passion in his art and simultaneously masterful skill. I read part of Dear Theo in a Humanities class at UCF, and I just find him an interesting person. If I met him, I think I might enjoy simply watching him paint, but I would also enjoy getting to talk to him.

What is your favorite art gallery and why?

I have loved the Salvador Dali museum in Sarasota since I went on a field trip with my Humanities Honors class at University of Central Florida. Again, my fascination with unusual characters made me appreciate Dali. I loved his dream inspired, Surrealist work. I made many trips back down there while I was still living in Orlando. I used to go to the library at UCF and sit on the floor and look at the books of art. I’d pore through volumes of art by Michelangelo, DaVinci, Monet, Van Gogh, etc.

Continued on page 15

Summer 2019

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New Leaf Market Co-op Community Art Wall

Featured Artist of the Month: Lucy Romanik Get to know our August artist — Lucy Romanik How would you define beauty?

I define beauty by its difference from the definition of pretty.

Pretty is surface level. Pretty is aesthetic. Beauty is emotional.

Beauty is multi-faceted. Beauty is depth. The goal of many of my pieces is to capture both because the pretty draws people in, but the beauty keeps them there. Beauty can contain sadness, pain and hardship; things that we may not always want to face. Often pretty fails to acknowledge these things.

It’s the ‘pretty’ that is what initially captures someone’s attention.

While it is the concept, the truth being portrayed that is beautiful. It is the beauty that keeps the viewer within the piece. It's what allows people to truly understand the intent and the meaning behind the piece.

Why do you love what you do?

I love what I do because I get to share it. I study art therapy and there is something incredibly therapeutic about the process of creating art that is not fully understood yet, but ultimately the difference between that profession and the profession of an artist is that I am able to take my work

and share it with other people. I am able to convey my message in the way I understand it visually and spread it. That is really why I love creating.

What is your creative process like?

The creative process is strange.

Most ideas come from what seems like nowhere. But in tracing an idea it is a compilation of experiences and thoughts. It is the connections that are drawn from reflection about ideas and experiences that create concepts. I often begin with a concept. I begin with an idea that is fueled by a message that shapes my work. Whatever I am trying to portray is shaped by the message and is the backing behind the piece. Typically, my pieces begin with a still life representation that I photograph in order to then create a painting. Once I begin painting a piece, I often work in long stretches of time and on multiple pieces at once.

What media do you prefer and how did you come to use it as your primary one?

My preferred media is paint. I have always been drawn to the fluidity and the flow of paint. I am drawn to color and color mixing. I was presented with and trained in a

variety of media as I went through school, and I enjoy and appreciate each for what they can do. Paint has always been my choice of media and that was further reinforced during my schooling as I learned a greater proficiency.

What is your favorite part about being an artist?

Having an alternate form of communication and expression is my favorite part of being an artist.

This is wrapped in my personal work as well as in my profession as an art therapist. I love being able to share this form of expression that allows another individual some amount of relief from the emotions and the feelings they have been holding on to. As an artist I love being able to communicate a message to the viewer in such a way that allows a deeper understanding of my own personal experience. I love being able to look at another person’s work and understand on a significant emotional level their experiences through their piece.

A sample of Lucy's work, visit the co-op in August to see her work in person!

If you would like to be our next featured artist or if you would like to reserve space in our, 14

Natural Times | New Leaf Market Co-op

Summer 2019

Some pieces from Bridget, see these and more at New Leaf in July!

Bridget Noel Welch Continued

I looked at all the Surrealists, but Dali was my favorite at that time. His images were so well rendered yet so bizarre. He’s actually a close tie for me with Van Gogh on artists I’d like to meet.

What is your creative process like?

My creative process is organic and I must find myself in a calm state for best results.

My daily Kundalini Yoga practice helps me find the state to let inspiration hit. There may also be dancing around the house, time in nature, or drinking coffee in the back yard listening to birds before any art gets created. Sometimes I put on a tiara.

I’m kind of my own muse. I have to invite inspiration by letting my introverted self totally be me.

When creating paintings, I sometimes experiment first with an image or concept by drawing with pencil, markers, or gel pens on paper. I may do one or a few drawings of something before painting.

Other times, I find a picture in a book, in my photos, or online and use it as a reference, going right into painting it. I may be guided by a recent interest, like when I went through a queen bee phase, or by something I notice in nature, like, “I’ve heard a lot of Southern Barred Owls lately…Oh! I should paint one.” I love to paint real things from nature often because I like having to look closely at Mother Nature’s creations and revel in their beauty. If I don’t draw before painting, I sketch out the basic shapes of the drawing on the canvas using a lighter color paint, and then as I go, I add more layers of color and the image gets more and more defined, eventually ending with the darkest outlines and shadows and the brightest highlights, which really bring it to life.

To purchase art from Bridget Noel Welch, you can contact her via email at infinipede@juno. com and telephone at 850-284-7136.

seating area please email our Branding Director, at afletcher@newleafmarket.coop Summer 2019

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Everyone can shop at New Leaf Market Co-op, and anyone can become an owner.

Join more than 12,000 of your friends and neighbors in owning New Leaf Market Co-op. Although you don’t have to be an owner to shop, we think the benefits of ownership are pretty great. Get owner coupons and discounts, keep more money in our community, and invest in a business that will always be locally-owned. Join us!

Why Join?

• Benefits starting with only $25 investment.

• Receive new owner bonus coupons when you join.

• Save 10% off on all case purchases.

• R eceive your share of the profits during profitable years with patronage dividends.

• Shape the future of your co-op by attending the Annual Meeting and participating in focus groups and surveys.

• Vote in our annual Board of Directors elections or run for an open seat on the board.

• Enjoy BIG discounts four times a year and Owner Deals sales. Stock up to save!

e r o t s n i py o c s n d r o a p h u a o c p e u v i k s c i lu P c x e for

How it Works • Join in-store or online.

• Receive Owner Deals sales and discounts after first equity payment of $25. Remaining $75 is paid in annual installments of $25.

• Receive new owner packet bonus coupons.

• Provide your owner information to your cashier on each shopping trip to track your patronage.

• Fully invested owners receive patronage rebate proportional to the amount you spent at the Co-op during profitable years.

Community Benefits • Create a vibrant local economy that puts people before profits and keeps profits within the community.

• Share the knowledge about health, nutrition, local farmers, and great food with newsletters from New Leaf Market Co-op.

• Support local producers while enjoying more than 900 fresh, healthy, and sustainable food items and other products.

Ready to Own New Leaf Market Co-op?

Sign up with any cashier during your next shopping trip, or apply online at www.newleafmarket.coop.