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Each month, Newnan Art Rez invites a talented artist to live in Gray Cottage and simply spend time creating and interacting with the Coweta community.

This April, Christina Laurel left her home in Greenville, South Carolina to sample some Georgia hospitality and create an installation.

We visited Gray Cottage to speak with Christina and view her latest installation.

Christina was not always an installation artist. Early in her career her preferred medium was colored pencils.

During her time as an art student at State University of New York Brockport, her professors recognized that she was not pushing herself out of her comfort zone.

They encouraged her to explore the outer limits of her creativity. This is when her art moved out of the realm of two dimensions.

Newnan Artist In Residence Art Rez program

Her first three dimensional piece was a deconstructed kimono installation.

Christina explained to us that she is drawn to Japanese culture and aesthetics.

Her kimono installation preceded many Japanese inspired installations.

Later installations included Japanese cultural icons such as the fan and the ginkgo leaf.

A colleague introduced her to Japanese shoji paper. An almost translucent fabric-like material.

Because Christina once aspired to be a fashion designer, it seems natural for her to be drawn to this paper, which lends itself to the same manipulation as certain fabrics.

Newnan Artist in Residence Art Rez Christina Laurel

Christiana’s current installation is a series of shoji paper lilly pads on a collage background.

The installation is deceptively simplistic.

Christina compares her art to the work of a sous-chef. She spends hours preparing the “ingredients” for her installations.

Her collages are formed of found paper, which includes pieces of her previous art, deconstructed books, and gifts from friends.

She often modifies the paper by removing layers or adding texture through distressing and tools.

Her goal for finished installations is an intimate, relatable work that has echos of nature.

She enjoys viewing her art through other’s eyes. Viewer’s feedback often gives her a fresh perspective on her work and allows her to see it in new ways.

Christina Laurel Artist in Residence Newnan, GA

You can learn more about Christina's work and process on her website and blog.

Newnan, GA Artist in Residence Christina Laurel

To find out more about past and current artists in residence, visit the Art Rez website.

The Barn at Oak Manor Newnan, GA Photo ©Susan Crutchfield Photography

Recently, we headed out into the wilds of Coweta to tour one of Newnan’s newest event centers. We received a warm welcome from The Barn’s manager, Ashley. Ashley was cheerful and energetic as she guided us around the large property.

The barn is a rustic structure set in the middle of a green field beside a large, beautiful pond.

The enclosed kitchen, bar, fire pits and vintage church pews make it stand out from similar venues.

We were impressed by the simple, rough wooden tables that were each hand made.

A few feet away from the barn is a large, old oak tree that will see many couples pledge their forever love to each other.

Lush plants surround a small wooden platform under the tree.

We noticed strings of lights and lanterns everywhere and can only imagine that it turns into a glittering magical place in the evening.

Not far from the barn is a large, classically southern house with a wraparound porch.

This is where bridal parties can spend the hours before the wedding relaxing, getting ready and preparing for the big event.

The bottom level of the house is fit up for the boys. It has a weight rack, large raquetball court, sauna and large screen TV.

The middle floor has a large living area, a kitchen and a lovely area for smaller events.

With large windows and wooden walls, this space mimics the rustic feel of the barn.

The upstairs of the house contains the bridal suite. It’s a beautifully decorated space dotted with comfy couches. There is a large bathroom, a 360 degree mirror with a pedestal and an airy veranda that overlooks the pool.

Ashley laughed as she told us that she is constantly adding new amenities to The Barn.

As the founder and owner of Flower Child Weddings and former employee of “Say Yes to the Dress”, she came to this job with the knowledge of what brides want in a venue. She works hard to make sure the bride has the a relaxed wedding day. She does this by being very flexible with wishes and requests.

The decor in the main house is customizable to the bride’s wishes, the venue pricing is nearly all inclusive and the wedding party gets the space for the entire day for no additional charge.

As she is talking to us, it is easy to see that she has found her passion in life in helping brides have their perfect day.

Her creativity and unique eye is apparent in every aspect of the venue.

You can keep up with The Barn at Oak Manor on Facebook and Instagram.

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