Locala Magazine, July 2023, Ocala, FL

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An Evening of Stories & Inspiration

Benefiting the Marion County Literacy Council

Hosted by Lisa Anderson Media, LLC

With R.J. Jenkins as Emcee

August 10th • 7:00PM

The Marion Theatre

50 South Magnolia Avenue, Ocala

Keynote Speaker: William F. Ross, III

Special Speaker: Lauren Debick

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© Lisa Anderson Media, LLC and Locala™. All rights reserved. Online: ISSN 2771-1056, Print: ISSN 2771-1048, July 2023, Volume 03, Issue Number 02. Locala™ is a monthly publication, which is published by Lisa Anderson Media, LLC, 2320 NE 2nd Street, Unit 5, Ocala, FL 34470. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. For reprint or reuse permission, email info@localamag.com. Cover price for sale distribution is $4.58. Proudly printed at First Impressions Printing, 1827 SW 27th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471

JODI ANDERSON

DEAR OCALA,

As we celebrate the day our country declared its independence, I like to return to Anna Quindlen’s essay “A Quilt of a Country.” She writes, “Patriotism is partly taking pride in this unlikely ability to throw all of us together in a country that across its length and breadth is as different as a dozen countries, and still be able to call it by one name.” At Locala, we celebrate those differences and revel in telling stories of this “mongrel nation” from right here in our community.

I like to think that we are creating our own crazy quilt with stories of people as disparate as Amber Toole (page 7), a former educator turned fitness trainer, and Dr. Brooke Silberhorn (page 10), a chiropractor and life coach, who overcame thyroid cancer. Renee Williams (page 20) adds her own patch to the quilt with her emphasis on martial arts as a framework for life.

Speaking of creating something, check out our Q&A with Jesse James (page 25), artist and Director of The Magnolia Art Xchange. The Appleton Museum chats with multimedia artist William Schaaf (page 27), whose equine art is on exhibit through September.

And isn’t it sweet that we are home to rich cultures, such as the one Puerto Rican baker Ellie

Rodriguez (page 14) is happy to share with us?

We hope that in celebrating the spirit of independence, we are also celebrating the spirit of community. As Quindlen concludes, “Like many improbable ideas, when it actually works, it’s a wonder.”

Be safe!

Photo by Joshua Jacobs

Monthly Theme COACHES & MENTORS

Photos by Joshua Jacobs

Non-Judgmental

FITNESS STUDIO OWNER CULTIVATES POSITIVITY

AMBER TOOLE

Story by TAYLOR STRICKLAND Photos by JOSHUA JACOBS

“It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.”

That is the advice licensed fitness instructor Amber Toole was given on her wedding day, and it’s a maxim that has held true over the course of her life.

EDUCATING FOR HEALTH

Amber is the owner of The Training Toole, a fitness studio and personal training center located at 3887 SE Lake Weir Ave in Ocala, Florida. She got into fitness training while working at a gym in high school, after filling in for a trainer and teaching a class for the first time. “It really lit a fire in me to want to start teaching aerobics.”

After high school, Amber got her ACE fitness certification and started teaching aerobics, now called group exercise, in college. She started The Training Toole in 2002 while teaching physical education at Forest High School. “I started training people before and after school, and it just grew from there,” she says. “I got super busy, and I quit teaching high school, and I went into doing The Training Toole full-time.”

Her goals have shifted since opening The Training Toole studio in 2016. “One of the biggest passions I have in this is education,” Amber declares. “My really big, huge goal is I want to get to open a massive facility where we actually help people with all aspects of their health.”

Amber’s dream facility would have a meal-prep company on-site to help people fulfill their nutritional needs, a fitness center, and a life coaching course to aid in physical and personal development. It would also have massage and physical therapy options. Her short-term goals involve mentoring the next generation.

“What I’m working on now is helping to coach up and train other fitness professionals to grow my business and for us to get in a larger location than we have now,” Amber says.

The Training Toole offers a personalized training experience that tailors health and workout plans to the individual. Amber notes this philosophy stems from all the positive coaches and mentors she had growing up, particularly her high school physical education teacher Mrs. Woodruff. “She motivated me and was always so positive about things I was doing, and I was like, ‘I want to be a P.E. teacher.’”

A TRUE OCALAN

Amber is a transplant from Vidalia, Georgia and studied Physical Education and Health at Georgia Southern University. She moved to Ocala in 1999, out of love for Florida, and secured a teaching job while at an annual job fair held by the Florida Department of Education called The Great Florida Teach-In. There, she met the late Principal George Tomlin and was offered a position at Forest High School, where she taught P.E. for eight years.

“I’ve been in Ocala for more than half my life,” Amber says. “It’s my second home.”

She met her husband Rick after moving to Ocala. He is also a transplant and business owner, and Amber affirms he’s a huge source of support and guidance in her life. “He’s so great at separating feelings from business,” she says. “I learn a lot from him.”

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

At one point in her life, Amber didn’t want to own a studio, because she thought it would be too stressful. She is very pleased she changed her mind. “You can’t be great in life, if you don’t have challenges and you aren’t forced to grow,” she observes. “In life and in fitness and in your health journey, if you stay in your comfort zone, you’re never going to go to the next level.”

Health is important to Amber, not just on a professional level, but a personal one, as well. “I have watched people I love make not great decisions according to their health, and it has shortened their lives,” she says tearfully. “I don’t want that to happen to me, and I don’t want that to happen to other people I love.”

It’s especially hard for her to see those she loves and cares for make poor health decisions, when she has the knowledge and expertise to help them, which is one of the things Rick has had to help her overcome when dealing with clients. “Not everyone wants to be helped,” Amber admits.

Other sources of support are the networking group Mastermind, where she receives advice from professionals in related industries, and her team at The

Training Toole. “I have amazing women who are part of my team,” Amber says.

Despite the emotional labor Amber expends as a mentor, she believes she was meant to serve others by sharing her health and fitness wisdom. “This is what I was called to do,” she confirms. “There’s no doubt in my mind.”

Trainers at The Training Toole understand health is more than just losing weight, and they cultivate a positive environment to allow people to thrive. “I get the most compliments about how nice and kind we are,” Amber says. “We’re going to give that guidance and it’s going to be non-judgmental, because we’re here to help and we want to coach you.”

LEARN MORE thetrainingtoole.com

EXTENDED CONTENT

Watch the full interview on YouTube @localapodcast or your favorite podcast app. It airs July 21, 2023.

Intuitive Medicine

CHIROPRACTOR HELPS CLIENTS

FIND THEIR OWN SOLUTIONS

DR. BROOKE SILBERHORN

Story by TAYLOR STRICKLAND

Photo by JOSHUA JACOBS

Becoming an intuitive life coach was not originally part of Dr. Brooke Silberhorn’s master plan, but unforeseen health challenges led her on a journey of holistic self-healing she now wants to share with the world.

“I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2014,” Brooke says. Following her diagnosis, Brooke chose to use natural healing methods to heal in place of the radioactive iodine commonly used to treat thyroid cancer. She tried everything from juicing, liver detox diets, and supplements to mindset work to aid in her journey. “Nine years later, and I’m still here.”

TRUSTING HER INTUITION

Though Brooke had experience with life coaches in the past, she never considered becoming one herself before last year, when it was suggested that she join an intuitive life coach program. She graduated from the program at the end of March and now offers life coaching in addition to her chiropractic services.

As the name suggests, intuitive life coaches use their intuition and that of their clients to provide direction and guidance. “Life coaches, in general, basically guide a client to find the answers themselves for the solutions they need,” she explains. “For me, I feel a lot in my body. Sometimes, it’s just a ping in my head [that] says, ‘Stop there, talk more about that.’”

Brook knew she wanted to be a chiropractor since middle school, as she often visited a chiropractor while growing up in Iowa. Her family still went to a traditional doctor for certain circumstances but visited the chiropractor once a month for minor ailments and injuries.

Brooke’s father was particularly zealous about making sure they never skipped an appointment, regardless of the obstacle. “He worked for a utility company, so one time, he actually loaded us up into his bucket truck and drove us a half hour to get adjusted,” she recalls.

To follow her chiropractic dreams, Brooke studied medicine at a chiropractic college in Minnesota, where she went into practice for awhile before moving to her husband’s home state of Illinois and becoming an associate at a practice there. Brooke and her family lived in Illinois for six years before a grueling polar vortex winter prompted them to leave for sunny Ocala, Florida in 2015.

Brooke always envisioned opening her own practice, but didn’t quite know how to go about it and says she made a lot of mistakes in those early days. However, she says she experienced personal growth through life coaching and joining networking groups like Toastmasters International, which focuses on promoting leadership by developing public speaking skills. “It has been a really great source for building confidence in me with public speaking,” Brooke says.

Given that chiropractic medicine follows a similarly holistic healthcare model, Brooke states intuitive life coaching complements her general wellness philosophy.

“The view I take of chiropractic is the body is self-healing and self-regulating,” Brooke says. “My job is not to fix you but to actually remind your body of what it’s designed to help assist your body in healing itself.”

CREATING A HEALTHIER SOCIETY

“People come in for what they’re ready to receive,” Brooke says. “For me, I want to give them more. It’s a hard thing to want to give so much and then not everyone wants to receive it.”

Brooke sees coaching as another way to serve patients beyond her physical practice and improve her patient interaction skills, as many patients fail to look beyond their immediate complaints. Coaching questions help them reflect on where their pain stems from.

“In almost 17 years of practice as a chiropractor, I can, without a doubt, say that mental and emotional stressors are the biggest sources of dysfunction in the body,” Brooke declares.

For instance, Brooke says chronic pain has far-reaching consequences beyond its immediate effect. “I had a baby that I saw,” she recalls. “I think he was 4 months old at the time. He had difficulty turning his head and difficulty breastfeeding.”

After Brooke adjusted the boy three or four times, both he and his family saw an immediate improvement. “His mom said after the first two visits, ‘I just have to thank you, because I didn’t even really want to be with my baby and now we’re enjoying each other.’”

When it comes to life coaching, Brooke prefers to work with mothers and pregnant women experiencing similar issues to the one who came in to get her baby adjusted. She also likes to work with teenagers and help girls navigate their lives in tune to their menstrual cycles, much to her eldest daughter’s chagrin. “You can be a healthier person, but that passes that healthy gene expression onto your children that is literally creating a healthier society,” Brooke says. “If you can impact someone earlier in their life, then it changes the trajectory of our entire society.”

LEARN MORE thrivewithchiro.com

EXTENDED CONTENT

Watch the full interview on YouTube @localapodcast or your favorite podcast app. It airs July 28, 2023.

15 Women Share Their Journey of Self-Awareness, Self-Love, and Leading with Light

$8.99 PROCEEDS BENEFIT PACE CENTER FOR GIRLS IN MARION COUNTY

Inspiring Stories of Empowerment & Change

Chews Letter

Photos by Joshua Jacobs

Something Sweet

PUERTO RICAN BAKER

OFFERS A TASTE OF HOME

ELLIE RODRIGUEZ

Story by CYNTHIA M c FARLAND

Photos by JOSHUA JACOBS

Acraving for the sweet taste of home is literally what launched Ellie Rodriguez’s cottage bakery business.

One of four siblings, Ellie grew up in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, in a large family where both her mother Gloria and grandmother Josefina (Fina) were constantly cooking.

“I have always loved being in the kitchen. We grew up between my house and my grandmother’s—all the noise, the music, the food,” says Ellie, fondly recalling those hectic days with everyone gathered together and eating.

Since her mother and abuela mostly cooked main dishes and sides, it often fell to Ellie to bake the sweets. Not that she complained!

What I bring are family and memories.

— Ellie Rodriguez

MOVE TO OCALA

In 2009, after visiting her high school’s Facebook page, Ellie received a message from Miguel Morales, another former student. Although they both grew up in Bayamon and attended the same school, they didn’t meet then.

“He sent me a message and we started talking and realized how funny it was that we’d never met,” says Ellie. “One thing led to another, and we met in person in August 2009.”

At that time, Miguel and his daughter Riley were already living in Ocala. It wasn’t long before Ellie paid a visit.

“We were traveling back and forth from Puerto Rico to Ocala, and by January 2010, I’d moved here. Seeing the way he treated his daughter was it for me,” she states.

Miguel and Ellie married and now have a family of three: Riley (19), Elias (12), and Jacob (7).

“One day in 2017, I told my husband, ‘I just want to eat one of those Puerto Rican cakes like back home,’ so I made it. He’s very picky, but he liked it,” says Ellie, who was craving the almond flavored cake with almond vanilla buttercream icing. “I was just missing the taste of home.”

Toying with the idea of selling the cakes, Ellie posted online and began offering them for $5. From that point on, her business took off, growing into a cottage bakery that specializes in traditional homemade Puerto Rican desserts, baked goods, custom cakes, and cookies.

Ellie never trained formally, but her years in the kitchen and her family’s recipes are the solid foundation of her business, Ellie’s Rico Dulces, LLC.

In addition to the Puerto Rican Cake that started it all, her specialties include Tres Leches Cake, Besitos de Coco (coconut macaroons), guava pastries, cream cheese pastries, coconut rice pudding, and tembleque (coconut pudding).

“The tembleque is my mom’s recipe, and the coconut rice pudding was grandmother’s specialty. This is something you’ll find at almost every holiday party in Puerto Rico, starting around November,” says Ellie, noting that these dishes are among her favorites to make.

“One of my bestsellers around the holidays is coquito, a Puerto Rican eggnog that is milk-based but doesn’t contain egg,” adds Ellie, who makes her coquito in different flavors, including pumpkin spice and chocolate.

“We cook a lot with coconut in Puerto Rico, and guava is something people grow in their backyards,” she notes.

Sadly, her grandmother passed away right after Hurricane Maria. “It’s still hard to this day,” says Ellie. “She holds a special place in my heart, and it’s always very special when I’m making her coconut rice pudding.”

Ellie can be found every other Saturday selling her sweet treats at Ocala Downtown Market. In addition to custom orders, she also sets up and sells at local events, like Habitat Ocala Strawberry Festival, Light Up Ocala,

McIntosh Fall Festival, and Jeeptoberfest.

FAMILY AND MEMORIES

“There are a lot of bakers, but everybody brings something different to the table. What I bring are family and memories,” says Ellie, adding that she loves it when a customer starts eating one of her creations and tells her it takes them back home.

“When you eat it, you think about being at your grandma’s house and that’s what I like to offer to my customers,” she says.

With plenty of repeat customers, Ellie finds these regular clientele a very rewarding part of her baking business, especially when they introduce others to her sweet creations.

Since 2018, Ellie has worked in the Marion County Public School system, first as an ESOL Para, and then last year, becoming a Health Clinic Assistant. Her baking, school job, and being a mom keep her happily busy. She hopes to eventually have a store front and bake full time.

Of course, Ellie bakes regularly for her family— not just for customers. Understandably, this makes her kitchen a favorite hangout for her teenage sons and their friends.

And when it comes to hosting gatherings at their home or going to dinner at friends’ houses, people always know what Ellie is going to bring— something sweet!

LEARN MORE bit.ly/ricodulces

August 10th • 7:00PM

An Evening of Stories and Inspiration Benefiting Marion County Literacy Council

Hosted by Lisa Anderson Media, LLC

Contributions by Creating Forward

Become a Sponsor

About the Event

“Reading Between the Lines: An Evening of Stories and Inspiration” is an event that celebrates the power of literacy and raises funds for the Marion County Literacy Council. This event will take place on Thursday, August 10, 2023 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm and will feature a lineup of inspiring speakers who will share their stories on the subjects of Stories of Transformation, The Importance of Access to Education, The Role of Literacy in Building Strong Communities, and The Impact of Literacy on our Lives.

Literacy Council

Creating Forward

The Marion County Literacy Council enriches quality of life for adults in Ocala and Marion County by helping them build and improve their literacy skills. Our programs and services enhance people’s personal and professional circumstances—and create opportunity for them—one word at a time.

The mission of Creating Forward is to create a source of funds to support and promote creativity in the fields of the performing and vision arts, the written word, business and entrepreneurship, and the care of animals.

Your sponsorship of “Reading Between the Lines” will have a significant impact on the success of the event and the lives of those in our community. The sponsorship funds will be used to help make the event more professional, ensuring a memorable and enjoyable experience for all attendees. Additionally, your sponsorship will directly contribute to the fundraising e orts for the Marion County Literacy Council.

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MAIN EVENT SPONSOR. Media Ads, Event Flyers, 6 Posts, 3 Event Mentions, 2 Items in Swag Bags, 6 Tickets, 1 Email Mention. Limit 1 sponsor for this event.

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Outside the Mat

OWNER OF MARTIAL ARTS STUDIO IMPARTS LIFE LESSONS

Story by TAYLOR STRICKLAND Photos by JOSHUA JACOBS

Martial arts master and instructor, Renee Williams, embodies the transformative power of her discipline. Beyond the physical, her teachings at The Martial Arts Center emphasize life values that resonate off the mat, weaving a philosophy of respect, discipline, and self-belief into every lesson.

Respect. Discipline. Communication. Honesty. Self-esteem. Belief. These are the tenets martial arts master Renee Williams and her family strive to adhere to in every aspect of their lives, and they are also the values Renee teaches her instructors and students at The Martial Arts Center.

“I think that when you train in martial arts for a long period of time that you think about the principles wherever you are,” Renee declares. “We say you’re always wearing an invisible dobok, which is a uniform. Being a martial artist doesn’t leave you when you leave the school.”

THE NEXT KARATE KID

Renee was initially drawn to martial arts because of the popularity of The Karate Kid and the relationship between the main character Daniel and his instructor Mr. Miyagi. She was fully convinced, in 1991, after a martial artist in a local parade did a back flip and handed her a flyer for a martial arts school.

At only 11 years old, Renee signed herself up for her first lesson. She eventually went on to become a fifth degree blackbelt in Tang Soo Do, a Korean martial art style based on Karate.

“I had the opportunity to train with innovative instructors, who really understood the value of making students feel proud of themselves,” Renee explains. “When I became an adult, I wanted to recreate that experience in our community. Specifically, I wanted teenagers to have a place to grow up and have supportive adults around to help them through those tougher years. I think we’ve accomplished that. We have a program here in Ocala that helps kids develop confidence and discipline and belief in themselves.”

Renee took a brief break from martial arts training to study education. She started back up again while teaching history at a school for children displaced from the regular school system. Most had been expelled due to felony or referrals.

“I really believe there are no bad kids. There’s bad behavior, and I think every behavior is learned,” Renee says. “Oftentimes, when kids are having behaviors that don’t fall in line with what we may want from them, there’s a reason behind that. I think we can help them with the right guidance.”

One of Renee’s martial arts teachers gave her the push she needed to start her own martial arts

school. Once the fire was lit, she opened her first location on Maricamp Road. Renee realized roughly two weeks later that she couldn’t be a teacher, martial arts instructor, and CEO, so she quit her teaching post and brought on more instructors to support the growing school.

“As the school grew and my family grew, I knew that there had to be other instructors,” Renee recalls. Today, Renee trains instructors instead of students.

Before starting her own school, Renee participated in many martial arts competitions as a teenager growing up in the tri-state area—the tripoint of the state boundaries of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. However, she doesn’t focus on competing as much in her own school and tends to focus more on teaching students how martial arts can help in everyday life. She centers some lessons around the idea that failure is a friend, steadfast and rewarding. Students replicate mistakes made in school in class to better learn from them.

“I think that helps them tackle challenges, and the instructors do a great job of pointing out the lessons that we teach and they translate to their lives outside of the mat,” Renee says.

According to Renee, there is no personality type best suited to martial arts. Her students range from outgoing to introverted, the academically gifted to the disinclined, children on the spectrum, children experiencing bullying, and children who just need to be active. Many have gone on to be doctors, lawyers, and veterinarians.

do. Their value was especially apparent during her middle daughter’s transition from elementary to middle school. “It was a different animal,” Renee notes. “She didn’t have a folder I could just check. It was her responsibility to manage herself.”

Renee does a lot of traveling to various seminars and meets with many child development experts, in order to better be of service to her instructors and students. She also encourages her family and students to expand their knowledge of the world by meeting new people from different places.

particularly strict when it comes to instructing her students or parenting. Her empathy and love of children often make it difficult to lay down the law.

“Great parenting, great teaching, great mentorship is a balance of love and discipline,” Renee expounds. “I’ve had to work on being able to be more of a disciplinarian and adhere to whatever the structure is. I’m very compassionate naturally, but something I think is a strength of mine is I can recognize when there’s people around me that are good at something I’m not.”

THE KEY TO HAPPINESS

Renee has three daughters, all of whom are involved in martial arts. Her husband and eldest daughter are also black belts.

Traditional martial arts schools go from white to black belts to mark student progression from novice to master, but Renee chose midnight blue as the final belt in her school to remind students that there is always opportunity to grow and develop. Renee added belts to motivate students, especially the little ones like her youngest daughter, to continue forward and be consistent in their training.

“As a parent, I know consistency is the lesson I want them to learn all their lives. If you’re going to succeed and have a happy life, you have to be able to consistently eat well, consistently exercise. You have to be able to consistently save money; you have to be consistent about the relationships you have and give attention to your loved ones. There’s a lot of areas of our lives that the answer is to be consistent.”

Renee says the skills taught at the martial arts school are apparent in everything she and her family

“I think that life is rich and you should have as many experiences as you can,” Renee says. “I did not travel with my parents as a kid, so I want my children to have an opportunity to see the world. I encourage everybody to travel and try new things and go to new places and take in as much as the world has to offer that you can.”

MENTORSHIP IS BALANCE

It may come as a surprise to some, but Renee does not perceive herself as

Renee says her mentorship success comes from her developed sense of empathy and that excellent mentorship is a two-way street. “I think a great mentor needs to care about the mentee’s success and be able to tell them what they need and not necessarily what they want to hear,” she continues. “It’s important for someone who really wants to grow to be able to hear the tough messages and apply them.”

LEARN MORE themacocala.com

EXTENDED CONTENT

See the full interview on YouTube @localapodcast or listen on your favorite podcast app on July 14, 2023.

" As a parent, I know consistency is the lesson I want them to learn all their lives.” ~Renee Williams

Artist Corner

Photo by Joshua Jacobs

Jesse James ARTIST Q&A

Story by CYNTHIA M c FARLAND

Photos by JOSHUA JACOBS

What inspires you?

Anything creative inspires me. I get inspired by other people doing what inspires them. Music is a huge inspiration. I’m a sneaker and fashion nerd. I’m into cars. I’m into art. I’m a fan of creativity.

How has the art scene changed in Ocala?

I’ve been here my whole life, but until I was about 35, it wasn’t a contemporary art scene. In the past five years, the art community here has flourished incredibly. I would never have imagined the art scene to be what it is now, and I think it’s on the cusp of being so much more.

What sets Ocala’s art community apart?

There’s nothing cutthroat about it. Everyone plays well together and is very willing to give. If you want to pick up a new technique or style, any of the artists here are willing to bend over backwards and help.

How does the MAX contribute to Ocala’s art scene?

both artists and on the business side.

How can people experience the MAX?

We’ll be doing an exhibition/showcase once a month and doing classes and workshops starting this summer and into the fall.

What’re you driving lately?

My 1994 Jeep Wrangler, that’s my baby. I’ve had it for three years and it’s not going anywhere soon.

How do you make the most of free time?

If I’m not doing something creative, I’m hanging out with friends. I’m a picky eater, but I love food and love a good drink. I love everything about downtown Ocala. I also enjoy hitting the road in my Jeep and finding new places to explore.

What’s your latest creative project?

Born and raised in Marion County, Jesse James brings hometown savvy to his position as Director at the Magnolia Art Xchange (MAX). A passionate supporter of the arts and creativity, Jesse is known for his writing and photography. His lifestyle website The Culture Curators covers everything from art to architecture to style and fashion to cars.

We’re Ocala’s first art hub and art incubator. We give people a place to be creative and for artists to collaborate with each other. We take emerging artists and try to help them progress as

FAFO commissioned me to customize a picnic table for them. It was first displayed at Symphony Under the Stars. I’m not sure that many people know I do art, so this is my stepping-out party as an artist.

LEARN MORE

www.maxocala.org

theculturecurators.com

Horses & Humans A Q&A WITH WILLIAM SCHAAF

Story by JASON STEUBER, Director at Appleton Museum of Art

Through prints, paintings, and sculpture, artist William Schaaf explores equine imagery and symbolism. Born in Richmond, Virginia to a military family, he moved frequently to places domestic and foreign, including Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Germany, and Italy. The artist recalls equestrian monuments being a constant, regardless of where he resided. Schaaf earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting from the University of Florida. His works can be found in museum collections all over Florida, such as the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, Orlando Museum of Art, and more. His painting “Ardennes” is on view at the Appleton through September 24, among a small selection of equine works from the collection.

You work in multiple mediums. Do your works mean the same in all forms, or is one stronger than the rest?

I favor drawing and writing, as they are essential to all art endeavors. I like painting, but I am happier with mixed media. Clay is where my heart is. If a clay piece really sings for me, it can become a bronze, which allows for variations of multiples. Wood and stone are most satisfying, because they express their innate aliveness of nature’s energy. I use what is at hand and heart. I make art to fix myself up. If something

breaks, it becomes an archeological find, and I am the repairman for myself as well as the artwork.

Why are you drawn to the horse as subject matter?

Stuart Purser, my drawing teacher at University of Florida in 1964, instructed us to find a variation on an art theme. I picked Rembrandt’s “The Polish Rider.” I have been riding that horse for almost 60 years. In graduate school, my thesis centered on the myth and mythology of the horse. A horse denotes beauty, speed, strength, protection, companionship, loyalty, and healing. The horse is a magical ally and

guardian that guides and guards.

How has being a Florida-based artist influenced your work?

Florida’s influence has been more general than specific. I arrived in Florida from Oklahoma as an adolescent. The contrast was striking. From dusty brown to rich, semitropical greenery, drab landscapes to rich colors, North Florida has a subtle, mysterious natural beauty that enriches and rejuvenates. I felt born anew by the sheer assault of beauty on all of my senses. As an oldster, I still feel moved by Florida’s magic.

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