How Two Distinctive Paths on the Ice Converged into a Vision for Excellence
Lakeland's Oldest Dog Club Keeps Pets Active and Enthusiasts Plugged In
A Local Artist Being Honored by Artisans from Across the Globe
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Marcia Morse Mullins has been weaving remarkable artwork from natural materials for more than 40 years. The world is finally taking notice of her acumen and attention to detail.
story by JENNA MACFARLANE
story by RJ WALTERS
PUBLISHER
Curt Patterson
ASSOCIATE
PUBLISHER OPERATIONS
Jason Jacobs
EDITOR, CONTENT STRATEGIST
RJ Walters
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Jonathan Sierra
VP, FINANCE
Deb Patterson
GENERAL COUNSEL
ADVERTISING
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Curt Patterson | 863.409.2449
ADVERTISING SALES
Jason Jacobs | 863.606.8785
Sharon Blackburn | 813.789.4361
CONTRIBUTORS
Jenna MacFarlane
Alexa Estevez
Ted W. Weeks IV ISSUE 102 THE ARTS & CULTURE ISSUE
CREATIVE
DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCER
Jordan Randall
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
Allie Brinton
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Jordan Randall
Dan Austin
Noelle Gardiner
CIRCULATION
CIRCULATION DIRECTOR
Jason Jacobs
DISTRIBUTION
David Heideman
The Lakelander is published 12 times annually by Lakelander Media, 1505 Florida Ave. S, Lakeland, FL 33803. Reproduction in whole or in part without express written permission of The Lakelander is prohibited. The Lakelander is not responsible for any unsolicited submissions.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
Lakelander Media, 1505 Florida Ave. S, Lakeland, FL 33803 Customer Service: 863.701.2707 TheLakelander.com
I love that my wife and I get to raise our children in a place with people who want to invest in the arts, because it is so important that we create spaces for authentic expressions of experiences and emotions, even if yours are different from mine.
Art provides unique avenues to reflect on perspectives and articulate your own.
The most expensive “art” in my home is probably from Hobby Lobby and my favorite pieces are on peg boards, the refrigerator and in file boxes courtesy of the Walters’ Creative clan—aka my children. And the cultures I appreciate and am integrating into are often changing and I at times am changing with them.
And therein lies the beauty. You were created as part of the wondrous culture of the human race and through the lens I see the world, every person reading this is a distinctly made, purposefully created piece
You may see it differently, and if so, I’m glad we can learn from each other.
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Growing up in the Tampa Bay area, Dan was drawn to its thriving artistic culture, creative businesses, fashion and an appreciation for the arts. His style of photography tends to lean more on the fashion / editorial side. He has been shooting portraits since 2001. His style has evolved, but his focus remains the same; he strives to capture people in their essence, a candid moment, or in a light that brings out the best in someone.
As a local Florida business owner, he has had great opportunities to collaborate on dynamic editorial projects and advertising campaigns, and to photograph artists and clients—local and abroad.
Hailing from Sarasota, Jenna MacFarlane is a Southeastern University graduate who fell in love with Lakeland when she arrived.
Jenna earned a degree in communications and is passionate about her craft; she believes the highest form of art is hope and seeks to communicate it in every piece she writes.
@jenna_macfarlane
Noelle grew up in Lakeland, and is currently pursuing a dual degree in Media Production and Theatre at the University of Florida. She is passionate about photography and has spent the past year taking theatrical production photos, sports photos, portraits and more in Gainesville and Lakeland.
Her work has been featured by WUFT News, The University of Florida Yearbook, and now The Lakelander! In the future, she hopes to combine her love of the performing arts and her skill with media by pursuing a career in arts marketing.
WRITTEN BY DARYL WARD, POLK ARTS ALLIANCE
any given weekend, if you step outside and listen, you might be tempted to sing the famous line from “Les Misérables”: “Do you hear the people sing?” Or maybe you’d be just as likely to sing: “Do you see the people paint?” or “Do you watch the people perform?” That’s because the greater-Lakeland area’s arts offerings continue to provide people with exciting opportunities. Whether it’s a night at the theater or the symphony, an exhibit opening at the Polk Museum of Art, or a lively gathering at the Dixieland Night Market, citizens and visitors alike are benefiting from a growing arts and culture scene.
Even if these events and programs are not the primary factor for bringing in visitors to the area, they do have value. Mark Jackson, Director of Tourism and Sports at Visit Central Florida, recognizes the role that arts and cultural heritage events have for those looking to enhance their visit to our area. Jackson also acknowledges that the variety of arts and cultural experiences is important.
“Our offerings are unique, diverse, and family-friendly,” he said. ”From the stage to more static exhibits, Polk has a lot to offer our residents and visitors alike.”
Alex Rich, Executive Director and Chief Curator at the Polk Museum of Art, concurs, noting that he often hears a familiar refrain.
“Many visitors and community members are aware of how having a museum like ours in this county—in Central Florida even—offers not merely a reason to stay here but also for folks to move here,” Rich said.
The experiences provided by the Polk Museum of Art, as well as other arts and cultural organizations, is positioning Lakeland (and Polk County) as a destination for arts and culture. The museum, which is in the midst of a 10,000-plus square-foot expansion, has hosted notable exhibits with sculptures by Rodin and most recently, work by American art icons Norman Rockwell and N.C. Wyeth.
An often-overlooked fact is that arts and culture not only provide entertainment opportunities and cultural experiences, but they can also be a boon for business. And while the Polk Arts & Cultural Alliance and Florida Southern College are conducting a study to determine current economic impact information, state economic data can provide keen insight into how arts and culture can benefit a local economy. According to a 2023 report by Americans for the Arts, Florida’s arts and culture sector generates 4.7 billion dollars annually in economic activity—including providing for more than 240,000 jobs state-wide. These numbers and their connection to a healthy local economy do not go unnoticed by local elected officials. A truly vibrant and economically sustainable creative culture often requires municipal investment. Lakeland Mayor Bill Mutz believes that the city has a stake in developing this culture.
“The reality is we need to support fledgling start-ups, as well as wellestablished providers, to expand how art is provided to Lakeland citizens,” he said.
Hence the City of Lakeland’s commitment to supporting local arts and cultural nonprofits by providing grant funds facilitated by the Mayor’s Council on the Arts. Kerry Falwell, the CEO of the Florida Children’s Museum and Chair of the Lakeland Mayor’s Council on the Arts, appreciates the city’s investment in arts and culture.
“Lakeland’s nonprofit arts organizations put almost $17 million into the City economy each year,” she said. “The $250,000 of city tax dollars that are designated to support nonprofit arts in Lakeland is an important and appreciated part of that story.” AN ECONOMIC REALITY
Florida’s arts and culture sector generates 4.7 billion dollars annually in economic activity— including providing for more than 240,000 jobs state-wide.
Arts and cultural opportunities not only grow the economic bottom line, they also contribute significantly to Lakeland’s quality of life. This includes even the youngest Lakeland citizens. In her role at the Florida Children’s Museum, Falwell is intimately aware of the importance of making sure that children have access to experiences that enhance young brain development. “Children with access to creative, expressive experiences during this period of brain development are more likely to succeed, and that’s why the Florida Children's Museum curates experiences for children to practice creative exploration in a variety of ways,” she notes.
It’s critical that creative exploration continues as children get older, which is why providing more art experiences in local schools is necessary to develop well-rounded students. Beth Cummings, Senior Director of Fine Arts at Polk County Public Schools, has devoted her life to ensuring all students have access to arts education.
“The process of making art teaches creativity, problem solving, working with others—all skills that employers are looking for,” Cummings said.
Data supports this as well: Students engaged in arts learning have higher GPAs and standardized test scores, as well as lower drop-out rates.
AN EVEN BIGGER PICTURE
But beyond an incentive to move to Lakeland, contributing to a thriving economy, or being an asset to the educational community, arts and cultural experiences also provide a creative outlet for community members. Simply put, they bring fullness to our lives. Kemp Brinson, a Lakelandbased attorney, believes his experiences working with Theatre Winter Haven are foundational to creating community. “Without a doubt,” he said, “Theatre Winter Haven is why I still live in Winter Haven 20 years after moving here. I met my wife there. My social network is there. We create families, both literally and figuratively. We build life-long bonds.”
Brinson’s point—that local arts and culture provides both tangible and intangible benefits— is an important aspect of why the arts matter. They offer artists a community of like-minded practitioners. They create a culture of unity and acceptance. In other words, they make our home more like a home.
So go ahead, step outside and belt out: “Do you hear the people sing?” But don’t be surprised if a chorus sings back, “Yes, yes we do!”
WRITTEN BY RJ WALTERS
BY NOELLE GARDINER
Whether Freddie De Jesus is smiling at one of his instructors teaching introductory ballet, he is locked in working through intricate choreography with a Florida Southern College student in his role as an adjunct professor, or he is living his best life on a weekday evening in an adult jazz dance class—he wants more.
He wants more studios and larger studios, he wants to further his own education so he can improve as a leader, and he wants to offer (nearly) every kind of dance under the sun so you can become anything from a world class performer to someone who simply enjoys fun aerobic activities under his watch.
It’s the reason the company he founded in 2016 isn’t called “Just Another Dance Studio”—it’s aptly called Ultimate Dance Center.
When De Jesus arrived in Lakeland more than 20 years ago, the Puerto Rican from Brooklyn, NY brought a distinctive New York state of mind to a city that was just starting to grow into what it is today. He fondly remembers getting off an Amtrak train downtown as he embarked on the adventure of starring in The Nutcracker with Florida Dance Theatre.
“I was like, ‘Wow, what a beautiful place.’ I just walked around downtown with my big old suitcase and backpack and kept falling more in love with it,” the now 53-year old De Jesus says. “And then I walk into Palace Pizza, and I’m like, ‘Is there a slice of New York right here in Lakeland?’ And then I went to Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grille because my ride was running several hours behind…and I met the manager, who is still there today, and she gave me a cup of water and talked my ear off…and we just connected.”
Connecting with rhythm and art in a deeply personal way has been the driving force for De Jesus’s career.
Pushing limits, exploring art, bringing people together.
As a young adult he earned a scholarship at the renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York. He has been a faculty and guest instructor, as well as a performer, at theaters and studios across the globe; he has rubbed elbows through dance with celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Madonna and Missy Elliott. And for years he worked as the associate artistic director for Florida Dance Theatre.
It was at that point that his big city vision for something more for the local dance community intersected with a young mom trying to find a dance company for her daughter.
Dr. Jennifer Nixon, MD, FACOG at Women’s Care Florida, grew up enjoying ballet and jazz, and she loved dancing at social gatherings throughout college. When her then 3-year-old daughter, Julianna, enrolled in dance locally the road was rocky. The first studio Julianna danced at was “wonderful” but shut down soon after, and the next place she enrolled was not what Dr. Nixon hoped for.
The owner of the first dance studio Julianna attended connected Nixon with De Jesus, and the two hit it off. De Jesus filled the role of creative visionary for Ultimate Dance Center, while Nixon had the mind for logistics and the entrepreneurial acumen necessary for it to actually open.
“We always want to remain solvent as a business, obviously, but we want to make it a place for everyone, regardless of economic background, to experience the joy of dance,” says Nixon, a key investor in the concept since its origin.
That has been easier in some seasons than others. Ultimate Dance Center was hovering around 250 students when the pandemic hit the world—and the dance industry—hard.
Enrollment dipped below 50 at one point, a spot where De Jesus says he realized the business was “up against some really crazy odds.” But thanks to the persevering spirit of leadership, generous donors, and PPP loans, the dream was kept alive.
Degenerative
Spinal
Spinal
Instability Nerve
Weakness
Today, Ultimate Dance Center is home to almost 200 dancers, yet it’s still about 100 away from the goal Nixon and De Jesus have set.
Enduring challenges isn’t a new thing for De Jesus who isn’t afraid to share that as a child he survived the impact of an alcoholic, drug-addicted father. His mother did her best, yet a challenging childhood was still his reality.
“Because I came from this sort of insecure, tumultuous home life, I can say that I started healing from the moment I walked into a space that had dance in it,” he says. “I think happiness is really underrated in the world….and most kids want to be seen, they want to be acknowledged, and [dance] can be very healing for a young person that is not feeling seen or heard.”
He and Nixon serve as a complementary pair, in part because Nixon embodies leadership qualities and business sense she attributes to her father who owned a pharmacy and her mother who ran her own outpatient surgical center.
“Honestly, I am humbled by Jennifer’s commitment to Ultimate Dance Center and me,” De Jesus says. “One thing I love about her is that she is not just the person who ‘signs our paychecks’, she comes in and gets dirty and helps fundraise and finds ways to allow us to do what we want to do to provide great experiences for our students and their families.”
The center offers more than 20 different dance classes, including the highly skilled competitive teams, but one of the classes staff are most proud of is their special needs dance class.
“I have a niece and nephew with special needs—one has autistic spectrum disorder, the other one has Down Syndrome—so it is near and dear to my heart that we have a place where anybody can come enjoy dance,” Nixon says.
Nixon’s daughter, now 15, is closing out the competitive dancing era of her life—at least for now—after almost a decade at Ultimate Dance Center. Julianna has experienced the kind of community and camaraderie that the center strives to be known for.
“One benefit of dance, especially for those who stay in it a long time, is the discipline and understanding what it takes to learn something, make progress and take on challenges,” De Jesus says. “I’m also the guy who wants to work the kids hard, but wants them to tell me how they’re feeling.”
Look for the ripple effects of Ultimate Dance Center to continue in Lakeland. De Jesus’s staff continues to add new classes and intensive workshops, he stays busy choreographing shows for local theater and the center loves bringing holiday joy to Lakelanders through a free show every December in Munn Park.
Nixon says she is hopeful that the center will continue to increase its impact and that dance will be seen by more people for what it is—a beautiful melding of sport and dance.
“You can see what they’re doing and it’s obviously athletic, but there is also the art portion of it. There are studies that show dancing is great not only for the body, but for the mind.”
"Most kids want to be seen, they want to be acknowledged, and [dance] can be very healing..."
WRITTEN BY RJ WALTERS
PHOTO BY JORDAN RANDALL
When a woman sits down at Great Brows, Katie Jirapolpaisan sees both a blueprint and a canvas.
The blueprint includes the precise dimensions and shape of each face, essential for the meticulous calculations needed to create a look that is symmetrical and natural.
The canvas tells a deeply personal story, reflecting age, race, and skin condition. Katie considers these elements when selecting the design and cosmetic pigment to craft the ideal aesthetic to correct thin, sparse or missing eyebrows.
Eyebrow enhancement involves working on the centerpiece of someone's face, an intricate process that usually requires about three hours of one-on-one work with a client. It requires a level of technical artistry that few can match.
Great Brows, located at 4000 U.S. Highway 98 N., has performed more than 2,000 Nano Brows procedures in the last four years, earning itself a 5-star Google rating with more than 330 reviews.
Originally named Orathai, meaning "the beautiful woman" in Thai, Katie has made an incredible journey from satellite engineering in Bangkok to becoming a respected eyebrow engineer, artist and entrepreneur in America. Her expertise and meticulous attention to detail perfectly complement her artistic passion.
The latest trend in permanent makeup is the Nano Brow technique, which creates ultra-realistic eyebrows using microscopic nano needles. This procedure is minimally invasive, highly accurate and provides the most natural looking results, Katie says.
Katie brings years of experience in cosmetic micropigmentation. She radiates confidence, and her commitment to exceeding client expectations is evident, whether they are 18 or 88.
"Many clients feel nervous because getting permanent makeup that lasts a year or two is a significant commitment," she says. "I get that. That’s why we measure and map it on with a pencil first and let them see it before it’s drawn on with the machine."
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Great Brows operates a studio as well as an academy for training new eyebrow artists.
Lakeland | polkmuseumofart.org
FOUNDED IN 1966
AFFILIATE INSTITUTION
Florida Southern College
PARTNERSHIPS
Smithsonian Affiliate, American Alliance of Museums
HOME TO
FSC Department of Art History and Museum Studies
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dr. H. Alexander Rich
NUMBER OF ARTWORKS 3400
COLLECTION HIGHLIGHTS
American Art, African and Oceanic Art, Modern and Contemporary Art, Photography
The Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College is an academic and community museum that engages audiences of all ages with worldclass exhibitions, programs, and experiences; the Museum offers avenues for lifelong learning and ways to see and reflect on our shared world through art and visual culture in new and innovative ways.
With free admission, the Museum champions the accessibility of arts education, inspiring visitors of all ages and interest levels to explore, learn, and find something in the world of art to appreciate. The Museum also seeks continued engagement with the community and our members through programming and educational opportunities such as studio and lecture classes for teens and adults, in-person and virtual events, kid-focused art programs, and more.
The Polk Museum of Art houses and exhibits two collections: The Museum’s Permanent Collection and
Florida Southern College’s Permanent Collection. On June 1, 2017, Polk Museum of Art affiliated with Florida Southern College. As part of the affiliation, the Museum houses and cares for a portion of the Florida Southern College Permanent Collection. Polk Museum of Art’s Permanent Collection currently consists of five major collection categories: Modern & Contemporary Art, Art of the Ancient Americas, Asian Art, European Decorative Arts, and African Art. Featuring prominent and notable artists including Rembrandt van Rijn, Andy Warhol, Faith Ringgold, Pablo Picasso, Miriam Shapiro, James Rosenquist, Barbara Kruger, Marc Chagall, Damien Hirst, Hung Liu and others.
In Summer 2023, the Museum began construction on its $8 million expansion and renovation project, an initiative that will add more than 14,000 sq. ft. of education and exhibition space to the current Museum building. The addition will include six new galleries and multi-functional classroom and event spaces, with anticipated completion in Fall 2024.
With our major expansion, your community’s Smithsonian Affiliate fine art museum will offer even more opportunities for you to immerse yourself — and your family — in the wonders of the arts! From membership and art classes to world-class exhibitions, there’s something for everyone to love.
Come on in. Admission is always FREE!
See upcoming exhibitions, programs, and classes at PolkMuseumofArt.org .
When you connect with Dr. Patricia Mattson or Dr. Lynsey Bennett the conversation will feel more like a heart-to-heart with a friend than simply exchanging vitals with a provider. They will want to hear all about the bond you have with your pet, they will educate new pet parents on ways to keep their beloved animals healthy and they will find common ground that goes beyond just furry friends.
Dr. Mattson, who has been practicing for more than three decades, and Dr. Bennett, the hospital's new associate veterinarian, embody the name on the sign—Companion Animal Hospital—of the service that Mattson opened in Lakeland in 2009.
“When Dr. Bennett came here and
started doing some relief work for us she took a genuine interest in the clients, and that’s how I’ve always done it—we treat your pets like family because they are your family,” Mattson says.
Bennett graduated from Tuskegee University of Veterinary Medicine in 2016 and has worked primarily with small animals. She is an Atlanta native who lived in Tampa with her husband and children until a few years ago when they fell in love with Lakeland. It’s clear when talking to her that she is committed to building long-term relationships with pets and owners by helping them understand their options and providing them with a high level of care, whether it be preventive care or dealing with a medical challenge.
“It is very important for me to be able to get to know people and answer their questions, not just speak in medical jargon,” she says. “I love animals and my goal is to make everyone comfortable so we can provide professional services and people will want to come back.”
The hospital offers everything from wellness exams to microchipping to diagnostic labs and more.
Mattson is keen on staying up on the latest trends and science of the industry, mentioning how she is excited AI is making it possible to detect markers of disease and cancer earlier and how DNA testing of various breeds is fueling meaningful research.
"When Dr. Bennett came here and started doing some relief work for us she took a genuine interest in the clients, and that’s how I’ve always done it —we treat your pets like family because they are your family."
From a practical perspective, her goal is to help pet owners utilize the best medications and procedures to keep their animals healthy as well as keeping them aware of potential hazards, like invasive bufo toads that have been known to cause havoc locally.
“If we don’t know something, we will help you research it, and for things like orthopedic surgery we will tell you a person who would be the right fit for your need,” she says.
Companion became part of the American Veterinary Group in April 2021, which connects the clinic directly with UrgentVet, a walk-in after hours clinic located on Harden Blvd. that is open 365 days per year. This means Companion clients always have a care provider available who knows their pet’s history and who can meet their needs when their primary care provider is closed.
Learn more
3003 Bartow Rd Lakeland, FL 33803 (863) 688-7000 CAHospital.com
Whether it's a cute little cat like Tippy or lovable dog like Roman, the vets are dedicated to ongoing preventive care as well as addressing emergency situations.
For artists, inspiration is everywhere. Marcia Morse Mullins, acclaimed fiber artist and basket maker, found it for the first time in her own backyard.
Growing up a Girl Scout, you could almost always find Marcia somewhere in nature— camping, hiking, or exploring—in the midst of ineffable Michigan summers. Curious about the world and naturally observant, she developed an affection for botany, identifying plants in her backyard and beyond.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in plant biology, Marcia began making baskets—not for fun, but out of necessity. A young parent with more Christmas gifts to give than she could afford, Marcia decided to get a little creative with what went under the tree. She picked up a book about basket weaving and gave it a shot.
Like any art form, there’s a push and pull between practice and flow. After learning how to make a simple basket, Marcia increased her works’ complexity with practice. As she began selling her work, she learned to weave baskets quickly to keep up with all her sales. As she became more committed to her craft, she began attending art festivals and teaching weaving classes to beginners.
From the comfort of her home, Marcia has honed her basket weaving skills over the course of more than four decades.
One day, while attending an outdoor art show, Marcia heard rhythmic drumming nearby. Following the sound, she found a Native American man pounding on a tree trunk with a sledgehammer. He recognized her watching—and offered to show her how to select, cut, and prepare a tree for splint woven basketry.
This man, Mike Sagataw, was a Potawatomi elder with a deep reverence for honoring the knowledge and traditions of his ancestors. He inspired Marcia to honor each felled tree with every basket she weaved, and instilled within her many pieces of wisdom she would carry on throughout her career.
Marcia left the art festival with a renewed sense of purpose and intention. She traveled to West Virginia for intensive training to hone her basketry skills. The more she wove, the more her work transformed into art. She began prioritizing form over function. Abandoning rigid rattan, she embraced flexible black ash, oak, and longleaf pine to weave pieces far beyond traditional utilitarian baskets. Luckily for her, Marcia and her husband, Tracy, moved to Lakeland in 2003, and longleaf pine are native to Central Florida.
and art forms.
What was once Marcia’s hobby on the side—a remedy for a strapped holiday season—had become her life’s purpose in just a few years.
Marcia’s work was first installed in an art gallery in 1996. Since then, her art has been featured in national exhibitions, invitational fine art shows, publications, park and museum installations, and more. Today, Marcia has more than 40 years of experience and so much muscle memory she could weave in her sleep.
When she starts a new project, she doesn’t always have a finished product in mind—she just starts weaving. Marcia never works from a fixed sketch or a blueprint. Creating is instinctual: if she’s having a lot of trouble weaving something, it usually means she has to step back and make something different. As Sagataw taught her, “The tree will tell you what it wants to be.” With that in mind, Marcia begins every project by playing with material, doing and undoing, until something substantive takes shape.
That’s how her recent body of work came to be. Interplay is all about movement and playfulness, featuring white oak woven with black ash splint on whitetail deer antlers. A piece from this series will be featured this fall in Marcia’s biggest exhibit yet in Venice, Italy.
A few months ago, the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship reached out to Marcia to feature her work at Homo Faber 2024: The Journey of Life. Held every other year in Venice, Homo Faber stages immersive exhibitions showcasing hundreds of handcrafted objects made by craftspeople from all over the world. Out of the 400 artists selected for the event, only 57 are from the United States—and Marcia is one of them.
The fact that the curators at Homo Faber scouted Marcia’s work for this event is fitting. This year’s exhibition theme, The Journey of Life, encompasses everything Marcia’s art represents. Her understanding of botany—deeply studying the tree when it’s alive—helps her honor it in death, weaving its remains into something beautiful, moving, and meaningful.
Sagataw taught Marcia the importance of sharing wisdom. She does this today by teaching online botany courses through Fibre Arts Take Two, putting her Girl Scout skills to work helping international students forage materials from their own backyards. And as the president of the Bartow Art Guild, she leads weekly local basketry workshops for all skill levels, curates exhibits and more.
Marcia teaches every student to be flexible with their creations.
“You have to be open— you can’t judge yourself or your work,” she says, emphasizing the artistic process is a winding one. “Just enjoy the journey.”
Marcia and Tracy will be traveling to Venice in September to see her artwork in person at Homo Faber. It’s the highlight of her artistic and professional career, and friends and fans can support this endeavor by searching for a GoFundMe fundraiser she set up.
She is humbled and in awe of this opportunity.
“Venice has its masterpieces and Venetians know craftsmanship. An artisan’s work is only complete when it has been seen, and time will tell whether my work will hold it’s own in Venice,” she says.
When it comes to art and creativity, we all start at the same place. Marcia urges anyone who’s curious about art to go for it. Grab a book at the library, take a class, try your hand at new hobbies: you never know where it could take you.
"Venice has its masterpieces and Venetians know craftsmanship. An artisan’s work is only complete when it has been seen, and time will tell whether my work will hold it’s own in Venice."
more than just a training place.
We're all friends too,” said Becky Babicz, Training Director at Imperial Polk Obedience Club (IPOC).
IPOC, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) dog training club licensed by the American Kennel Club (AKC), has been a part of the Lakeland community since 1964 and was founded by a group of people who wanted to create a welcoming space for dog owners and their pets. Classes at the club's warehouse at 3611 Century Blvd. are taught by experienced club members who volunteer their time to teach others how to train, care for and build relationships with their dogs.
Babicz joined IPOC in 1981 after she learned about the club while teaching summer school classes for visually impaired kids at Oscar Pope Elementary. Babicz fondly remembers when a volunteer came with a Border Collie and demonstrated how to train a dog.
“When the instructor came in I went, 'Oh, that’s what I want,”’ Babicz said.
Growing up, Babicz often cared for stray dogs, but never had she raised a puppy.
“If a dog showed up at our house and it didn't have an owner, I started feeding it and it was my dog for a while until it ran off somewhere else,” Babicz said.
Inspired by the IPOC demonstration, she told her husband it was time to get a puppy.
A few months later, Babicz brought home an eight-week-old Border Collie puppy and took it to IPOC to get trained.
As she trained her puppy, Babicz fell in love with the canine-loving community, where she has now volunteered as a trainer for 43 years. She currently teaches the Competitive Novice class on Wednesday nights which prepares dogs and their owners for obedience trials.
A popular offering at IPOC is the Agility class, where owners learn to direct their dogs through obstacle courses with ramps, pole jumps, and a dog walk. The Agility class promotes exercise and stimulates dogs’ natural hunting instincts.
“The Agility class is a bonding sport between you and your dog,” said Colleen Conley, a club member since 2020, “It's just me and him.”
Conley also enjoys the Scent Work class, where dogs will sniff different odors and locate them throughout the building.
Conley, who joined the club with her favorite breed, the Vizlas—a breed known for hunting— discovered her passion for dogs when she was 12 years old and convinced her mom to go look at puppies.
“If a dog showed up at our house and it didn't have an owner, I started feeding it and it was my dog for a while until it ran off somewhere else,” Babicz said.
“It was a huge mistake,” Conley said, “You never just go look at puppies.”
After their visit, Conley was “super fueled,” and studied dog encyclopedias to memorize as many breeds as possible until she found Vizlas.
Conley graduated as a pilot from the Naval Academy and now is a pilot for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Lakeland.
“One of the big things that drew me to Lakeland was proximity to work and the fact that there was a dog training club,” Conley said, noting she learned about IPOC through researching dog clubs in the area. “It allowed me to pursue hobbies outside of work.”
Conley has formed friendships with fellow dog lovers through the club and has attended competitions where their dog’s showcase their abilities.
“There are some wonderful club members and people I’ve met people that I otherwise would not have if I didn’t join IPOC,” Conley said, “The club also gives my dogs something else to live for and enjoy. They love to be challenged, to learn, and not be in the house all day.”
For dogs who love more of a challenge and can bring joy and assistance to their owners, IPOC also offers free training for service dogs. For the last 17 years, Etta Robinson has been the Service Dog Trainer at IPOC.
Robinson discovered the club through her involvement as a dog trainer for 4-H—America’s largest youth development organization—and she eventually became a trainer for the IPOC after a lady in a wheelchair came to one of her 4-H classes to train her puppy as a service dog. With the help of Robinson and the kids from 4-H, they trained the puppy.
“Eventually the kids grew out of 4-H, but then I had more people coming in wanting to train their dogs. So that's how the class started and from there, it’s taken off,” Robinson said.
Currently, mobility training is the only service dog training offered at IPOC, and it is individualized to the handlers' needs. Robinson teaches dogs to do vital tasks like flip light switches, retrieve items for their handlers, and assist them in getting up from a chair. The class also includes public access training, where the dog and handler are accompanied by a trainer to places the handler visits regularly. This helps the dog become familiar and comfortable with the area.
“I think a service dog is more part of a person than just a normal pet because they depend on each other,” said Robinson, “The service dog also just makes the life of the disabled person so much easier. It gives them more independence.”
Robinson announced earlier this year that after 17 years training with IPOC, she will be retiring this fall. As this chapter ends, she said she is grateful for the people she’s met and the dogs she’s been able to teach.
“I think about some of the dogs and I get choked up. I think about a lot of the people and I get choked up,” Robinson said, “Just being able to see what these dogs can do for their handlers all these years was just absolutely amazing.”
Although Robinson is retiring, her service dog class will be continued by one of Robinson’s students, Edna, who has been attending classes with her service dog since 2013. “I've been with her ever since,” Edna said, “Etta is amazing.”
Inspired by Robinson and Robinson’s husband, Dennis, who would also teach classes, Edna became licensed as an instructor and evaluator, and also became CGC (Canine Good Citizen) certified.
“All of this is because of the Robinsons, especially Etta. She opened her heart, her soul, her mind, and her knowledge to me and that’s what I plan to pass on to my students,” Edna said, “I'm going to open my heart to them. I'm going to be patient with them and I'm gonna share all my knowledge with them so that they can have a better dog.”
From Edna to Etta to Colleen to Becky, IPOC has been “more than just a training place.” At IPOC, people and pets discover their community and sometimes, even their purpose.
Imperial Polk Obedience Club has a heart for rescue dogs and offers a one-time discount for training for adopted pets.
Agility Program
Conformation Program
Rally Program
Obedience Program Service Dog Skills Program
Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Program
Scent Work Program
Complete registration forms in person or mail them to IPOC at 3611 Century Blvd Lakeland, FL 33811. Online forms can be printed from their website
IPOCLAKELAND.ORG
Register in advance to secure your spot. Class cycles repeat every six to seven weeks. For further information about class prices, discounts, or memberships, contact IPOC through Facebook messages @IPOCLakeland
For dogs who love more of a challenge and can bring joy and assistance to their owners, IPOC offers free training for service dogs.
hen David Aretz was 11 years old, the young New Jersey boy had a problem to solve. He had newspapers to deliver, but all of the roads had turned to ice as the effects of a massive winter storm.
His parents couldn’t drive the route safely, and his go-to transportation method of a bike was out of the question, so his mom posed a question: “Why don’t you just go get a pair of ice skates?”
“So I put on some skates, and I just went for it,” the now 44-yearold Lakelander recalls. “I delivered newspapers down the street, just ice skating back and forth, and it was a really fun time.”
For youngsters and young adults growing up in Central Florida, there are no icy roads, and that generation might give you a puzzled look if you ask them what a newspaper is—but thanks to the expertise and efforts of Aretz and his running (or in this case, skating) mate Madison Bedwell, the Skating to Excellence Academy at Lakeland Ice Arena provides a space to experience the joy of figure skating, and just maybe, find the success that Aretz and Bedwell achieved in the sport.
up the ranks, enjoyed several stints training at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs and earned a spot in the 2002 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. He eventually moved to Italy to train with a new partner, but in time he lost his long-time love for the sport and called it quits.
“It just wasn’t a thing I wanted to do anymore, so I came home and threw my skates in the trash,” Aretz says. “I was over it.”
He started working at a restaurant, when one day a friend encouraged him to find other ways to use his skating prowess.
Aretz’s memorable paper route story was a catalyst to him getting back into skating after years of enjoying it on and off recreationally. He ended up going full throttle into the pairs skating scene and trained countless hours with high-level coaches. He gradually made his way
David Aretz and Madison Bedwell are the architects of Skating to Excellence Academy which trains figure skating to all ages and abilities at Lakeland Ice Arena.
So he auditioned for Disney on Ice, and for the next two and half years he skated across the globe, donning magical outfits like Maleficent, Prince Eric and more.
If David’s skating origin story is cool, Madison’s is hot. She grew up in California, and around the age of six her family moved to Arizona. They decided one day to go ice skating, in part to combat the unrelenting heat, and Madison felt right at home on the ice.
By the age of 10, living back in California, she started taking private lessons, and she hit the competitive skating circuit for the next half decade or so.
When she went off to college she started coaching at a local rink and the now mother of three hasn’t stopped since, other than to prioritize her role as a mom on several occasions.
So how did David and Madison’s careers and lives intertwine to the point that the Northeastern native and skating enthusiast from out West officially brought figure skating to Lakeland in August 2023?
How a Skating Academy Has Caught Fire on Ice in Lakeland
Riley Gowen, 13, has competed at U.S. Excel Nationals and loves working with friends on duets & group numbers in programs.
Kyleigh Leggore, 14, is a student at McKeel Academy of Technology. She recently placed fifth at U.S. Excel Nationals, and her ultimate dream is to one day become a figure skating coach.
Reese Gowen, 11, says her favorite part of skating is traveling new places with friends. Recently, she traveled to Boston, where she finished third at. U.S. Excel Nationals.
Following a series of mounting health challenges for herself and two of her children, Madison and her husband relocated from Texas to Florida, closer to his parents. They chose Winter Garden, in part because there were plans for an ice rink to be built in the charming Orange County community. But those plans never came to fruition. In 2017, Madison answered a call from the Ice Factory in Kissimmee, where she took over a couple of Learn to Skate classes, a U.S. Figure Skating sanctioned training program.
Early the next year, David came on staff, bringing with him high-level experience coaching at Palm Beach Skate Zone and the Scott Rakow Youth Center in Miami Beach.
They started working closely together, and as Aretz states, they make a dynamic duo because of their different strengths.
“She’s really good with the little ones, and I’m a little bit better with the older ones who are a bit more advanced,” he says.
Aretz and Bedwell decided one summer to run a little “mini camp” in Kissimmee and had great success, but it wasn’t quite what leadership was looking for long term, so Madison and David started to keep their eyes open to other opportunities in the close-knit Florida skating community.
David remembers having an initial conversation with Paul Granville, the founder of Lakeland Ice Arena who saw the potential of the abandoned old bowling alley and ultimately opened the doors in 2019.
Granville said he was open to bringing figure skating to Lakeland, if David and Madison could figure out a way to work within the confines of the existing schedule of ice time.
“People were coming and asking for skating lessons, and he was like, ‘We don’t have that here,’” Bedwell says. “And he didn’t like turning them away.”
So, with 12 skaters, all who learned under the tutelage of the duo at the Ice Factory, Lakeland’s first figure skating program launched—as Skating to Excellence.
“We ended up with that name because no matter what level you are, you’re trying to achieve something better than what you have—you’re always skating to excellence,” Aretz says, noting that it’s also about treating teammates and competitors with respect.
Bedwell said they often remind their athletes that it’s healthy to always be competing against yourself, not just the other people on the ice.
Summer Swan Classic
August 3rd-4th
Check out Lakeland’s first competitive figure skating competition. Coming soon to Lakeland Ice Arena.
Learn more at SkatingExcellenceAcademy.com
Athletes at Skating to Excellence learn the graceful skills of figure skating while also gaining strength and speed by using training techniques more common to hockey players.
“We care more about them progressing than about what place they get. They can always jump higher, be tighter, and their spins can always be more centered or crisp.”
Anyone can hop right into skating through the 8- or 16-course Learn to Skate programs, which has blossomed to more than 70 individuals recently. Classes start at around $25 per session, including skate and helmet rental. Athletes can then transition to private lessons and can join the competitive ranks if and when they are ready.
Earlier this month, four skaters from Skating to Excellence competed at Excel Nationals in the Boston Area, including Bedwell’s 12-year-old daughter, Palmer.
Bedwell said the first year in Lakeland hasn’t been easy because of the time and effort required to establish a healthy culture and learn how to make the tough decisions necessary as leaders of a growing program, but she is extremely proud of the athletes who call it home.
“It’s really exciting to see how with such a young program everyone is kind of doing it together,” she says. “They’re all excited for each other…and they all clap for one another—it’s just really cool to watch.”
One thing that makes Skating to Excellence unique is its integration of traditional figure skating techniques with some of the power and speed training more common to hockey.
Lakeland Ice Arena has built its reputation as a hockey training hotbed, and is a home to the Florida Southern College hockey teams, the Jr. Mocs, adult leagues, recreational skating and more.
“Overall the skating is the same, but what’s interesting is you watch a hockey player, and they just wanna go fast,” Aretz says. “A figure skater is more like, OK, I need an edge to get there and they’re slower to start, while hockey players tend to go too fast without any edge work. Bringing hockey and the edge work together is pretty cool to watch.”
He mentioned that several parents recently have easily identified which hockey players have trained with David and Madison and which ones have not.
Whether it’s hockey or figure skating, Aretz and Bedwell understand in a very personal manner the desire to become the best athlete possible, but they encourage newbies and beginners to have healthy and realistic expectations if they decide to lace up skates.
“I feel like you should come into skating wanting to learn how to skate, not because you want to go to the Olympics or you want to win the Stanley Cup. You need to love the sport and want to be part of the ice,” he says.
“Don’t think if you fall it’s wrong, because falling is learning; if you stop falling, you stop learning.”
Leader in anterior hip replacement in Central Florida since 1991
Less-invasive surgery for the active patient looking for a quick recovery and a quicker return to work
Leader in anterior hip replacement in Central Florida since 1991
Less-invasive surgery for the active patient looking for a quick recovery and a quicker return to work.
The North Florida campus of Lakeland Surgical & Diagnostic Center, located at 1315 North Florida Avenue in Lakeland, is now called the Watson Clinic Surgery Center. This location offers exceptional outpatient surgical care across a number of specialties, including general surgery, gastroenterology, breast surgery, orthopaedic/hand surgery, urology, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and many others.
