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MARCH 6 - MARCH 12, 2019
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From Introduction to Induction SENOIA ARTIST NOW IN SCHOOL’S ARTS HALL OF FAME BY REBECCA LEFTWICH
PHOTO BY REBECCA LEFTWICH
Bronwyn Mercer adds detail to a drawing of her 1-year-old son, Wyatt.
becky@newnan.com Bronwyn Mercer’s introduction to art was in Ainsley McNeely’s class at UMSWright Preparatory School. Eighteen yea rs after the Senoia artist’s graduation, McNeely completed the circle by helping induct Mercer into the school’s Arts Hall of Fame. “It was a nice introduction to the arts,” Mercer said of studying under McNeely at the arts-focused school in Mobile, Ala. “I always liked to paint and draw, but it introduced me to different artists and techniques.” U M S -Wr i g h t h o n o r e d Mercer – the school’s f irst Advanced Placement art student – in the visual arts category for “significant contributions in an arts discipline while attending our school, meritorious work in the field beyond graduation and giving back to the school/community.” The honor was a shot in the arm for Mercer, who said she has struggled at times to maintain the artist part of her life. “I’m thankful I’m still able to do it, but it has not always been a pretty picture,” she said. After high school, Mercer enrolled in Ringling College of Art and Design with her eye on a job as a Disney animator. She almost immediately got sidetracked. “I knew Ringling was one
of the schools Disney hired from,” she said. “But then I talked with some of the animators who worked for Disney. It’s not for everybody.” Fortunately, she said, she fell in love with children’s book illustrations and graphic design during her time at Ringling, and she ended up graduating with an honors degree in illustration. “That’s melded together on many occasions in my personal work, in commissions (with her business, Bron Art) and at newspapers,” said Mercer, who has worked as a graphic designer at several newspapers, including The Newnan Times-Herald. Putting together infographics and page design was a job she enjoyed, Mercer said, but she at times has had difficulty carving out time for drawing and painting in addition to earning a living. “I love doing work on a computer,” said Mercer, who currently works for USA Today Sports archiving images. “But I also love the tactile aspect of working with a brush or a pencil, the feel of paint and mixing, and you can’t get that from a computer.” She’s always worked a fulltime or a part-time job, Mercer said, because creating art pieces for galleries doesn’t
ARTIST • 2
Coweta schools warn against vaping
PHOTO BY REBECCA LEFTWICH
Coggin autographs memoir at Nixon Centre PHOTO BY WINSTON SKINNER
Bob Coggin autographs a copy of his memoir, "Flying High Over the Cotton Field," at a reception and book signing in his honor on Tuesday afternoon at the Nixon Centre on Lower Fayetteville Road. A large number of area residents attended the elegant reception in the arts center’s atrium.
Coweta school officials say student use or possession of vaping products is a serious violation of the school system’s code of conduct.
BY REBECCA LEFTWICH
becky@newnan.com Administrators in the Coweta County School System say they have seen an increase in the use of e-cigarettes by middle and high school students, and school officials are warning parents about the potential dangers of
vaping. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the use of e-cigarettes is unsafe for children, teens and young adults. A letter and links to resources and information about vaping are posted on the school system’s website, www. cowetaschools.net .
“O u r school system wants to alert parents to this trend, and to share information regarding e-cigarettes and their detrimental effects on teens and young adults,” the letter states. Electronic cigarettes
KEEP NEWNAN BEAUTIFUL AND COWETA COUNT Y
TIRE AMNESTY DAY
SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 2019 • 8 AM – 12 NOON Two locations to serve Coweta County residents. Choose the location closest to you.
HUNTER RECREATION COMPLEX 2790 GA HWY 16 • SHARPSBURG, GA 30277
OR
CITY OF NEWNAN PUBLIC WORKS 55 BOONE DRIVE • NEWNAN, GA 30263
**TIRES MUST BE FREE FROM RIMS AND DEBRIS.** NO businesses. Event is for residents in Coweta County only. State drivers license required upon check-in at event. Call the Keep Newnan Beautiful office with questions. 678-673-5505
VAPING • 2