Nashville artist Acacia Barron will bring Urban Green Lab’s Waste Less™ Mural Project to Turnip Truck’s East location with a design celebrating food and community. The mural debuts October 24 at Turnip Truck’s Harvest Festival.
A new mural coming to Turnip Truck Natural Market’s East location will celebrate the ways food brings us together and inspire our community to waste less of it. Nashville-based artist Acacia Barron has been selected to create the mural as part of Urban Green Lab’s Waste LessTM Mural Project, a partnership with the Arts + Business Council of Greater Nashville and Turnip Truck Natural Market.
The mural will be officially unveiled on October 24 during Turnip Truck’s Harvest Festival, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 701 Woodland St.
Raised in Philadelphia, Acacia first encountered mural-making in middle school through the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. That experience showed her how public art can help people feel connected to their neighborhoods and take pride in the places they share.
Today, Acacia has completed more than 50 murals throughout Middle Tennessee. Her bold, playful artwork makes spaces feel more welcoming while reflecting the people who use them. Her commitment to community extends beyond her own practice: she founded Paint the Way: Nashville, a mural mentorship program funded through a Metro Arts grant, and co-founded Sketchbook Club Nashville to make creativity more accessible.
Across her work as a mural artist, illustrator, and community arts organizer, Acacia’s goal is consistent: creating lasting artwork that brings people together.
Acacia’s concept follows food from the moment we select fresh produce through preparing a meal and gathering around a shared table. These connected scenes celebrate the care that goes into the food we eat and the relationships we build along the way.
Produce, herbs, flowers, and organic shapes will weave through the composition, creating a continuous flow that subtly echoes a recycling symbol. Hands preparing ingredients and sharing a meal will reflect the different people and generations who participate in these everyday moments. At the center, the phrase “Food is What Brings Us Together. Waste Less.” will connect the story.
The concept invites viewers to consider food’s value through their own experiences. A meal can carry a family tradition, offer a chance to connect with a neighbor, or become something children learn to make alongside an adult. Recognizing that value can encourage us to care for food more thoughtfully and waste less.
With a bright, welcoming design, the mural will bring that message into the neighborhood, reflecting Urban Green Lab’s mission and Turnip Truck Natural Market’s role as a community gathering place.
See the finished mural at Turnip Truck Natural Market’s Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 701 Woodland St. Join us to celebrate Acacia’s work and the connections that grow around food.
