Local Art for Your Homes
PHOTOS BY DAN AUSTIN
On floor, left to right: Kylo & Co., Mary May Witte, Kylo & Co., Kylo & Co., Danielle Douglin
On table, left to right: Rachelle Valenzuela, Mary May Witte, Danielle Douglin, Rachelle Valenzuela, Kylo & Co., Mary May Witte
Thought-provoking, perennial, maybe even trendy––the artwork inside your home tells a story.
Whether you’ve found yourself collecting eclectic abstract pieces, or you’ve adorned your house with contemporary portraits, your creative eye craves visual elements that best reflect your style and introduce who you are. Textures, fine lines, strokes, patterns––whatever speaks to you and reflects your disposition, Lakeland’s diverse community of artists help create heartfelt tangibles that bring color or add visual dimension to the corners of your space.
From soulful local artists who have built successful careers spanning decades to the rise of up-and-coming new artists, there are so many available options for you to find one-of-a-kind pieces for your residence.
Here are several to consider the next time you are shopping for something new on your wall.
Jackie Morales Houghton
Oil Painter
Born and raised locally, Jackie Morales Houghton has passionately built her career as an abstract artist through organic relationships cultivated in the Lakeland community. As a proud alum of Rochelle School of the Arts, Jackie’s journey began as a middle school student where she quickly developed a strong desire to pursue painting.
After spending a semester at London’s prestigious arts and design college, Central Saint Martins, Jackie was exposed to Europe’s elaborate community of artists––both unknown and known. This became a turning point in her career. She graduated with her bachelor in fine arts from Auburn University and later moved back to Lakeland with her husband, ready to embark on a new chapter that felt full circle for her.
Today she creates eye-catching oil paintings on large canvases for a variety of clients, providing detailed insight on design for home owners. Her work is exclusively available for commissions, which in turn gives an opportunity for clients to collaborate with her on custom pieces for their space. From looking at a home’s fabrics and colors to its intricate patterns, she approaches each new project with eyes to visually problem-solve and a desire to serve her clients with excellence.
With her background from previous design centric roles, such as art director for Publix Corporate Offices and creative director for The Lakelander, she has honed her craft and continues to bring her clients’ interior visions to life. To work with her on a piece for your home, reach out to her @jackiehoughtonstudio on Instagram. The collaboration process is organic, and it’s something Jackie caters according to the visual needs of her clients. She works out of her personal home studio in Lakeland.
Mary May Witte
Acrylic Contemporary Impressionism Artist
Dreaming up art pieces that give a big view, local award-winning artist Mary May Witte brings inspiring contemporary impressionism to the homes of Lakelanders. Having earned her bachelor of arts at LaGrange College in Georgia, she uses her sophisticated expertise in the graphic arts to create serene acrylic paintings.
For three decades, she established her career as a graphic designer until she made the decision to focus on her artwork when her children moved out of the house. With support from her husband, she started painting in her home. Since moving back to Florida in the mid-70s, she gained inspiration for her artwork from the historic charm of Swan City’s nature life.
Placing visual focus on animals, such as birds, cows and dogs, and other outdoor scenes, she portrays everyday landscapes to commemorate the familiarity found in the places she loves most. She has also worked on still life and figure pieces that capture the essence of magnified fruits and flowers. Providing a unique visual experience, her work centers around the composition giving a simple, clean design. Clients say her work is quite calming. She has participated actively in local events for the artistic community, such as the MidFlorida Mayfaire-by-the-Lake.
One of her most popular works, “Morton,” depicts the natural beauty of our city’s beloved swans. Witte has received the honor of “Best Two Dimensional Artist” at the Old Florida Festival of the Arts in Cedar Key, Fla.
Notably, her paintings have been featured at a variety of festivals and art shows. Currently, people can find her work for sale locally at Bungalow Boutique and Gifts, 1026 Florida Ave S. You can also connect with her on her website marymaywitte.com or via email at marymaywitte@me.com.
“If a painting speaks to you, you’ll find a place for it,” she remarks.
KyLo & Co. by Stephanie Mason
Plaster and Water Color Artist
What stemmed from celebrating a special occasion quickly turned into a business from the heart for Stephanie Mason.
Crafting pieces of art has been a lifelong interest, but in 2022 Stephanie officially launched her plaster focused artwork locally––known as KyLo & Co.––as a way to serve the community she has loved for many years. After deciding to create a DIY piece with her husband, she gained inspiration to create her first capsule collection of large canvas plaster paintings, crafted with simplistic elegance that enhances any room.
She proudly combines a visually minimalist approach with a trendy design nod to the mid-century modern style. Between her classic arches to her moving strokes, she tailors each piece of artwork to subtly give dimension. Whether you’re looking for a centerpiece for your home or a distinct painting to light up your nook, KyLo & Co. offers a variety of handcrafted plaster art online at thekyloandco.com.
In addition to her staple plaster pieces, KyLo & Co. at times releases a variety of abstract watercolor pieces on large canvas.
“Lighting is everything when it comes to displaying art in your home,” she notes.
The recent loss of her mother to cancer inspired her “Art for the Heart” initiative, where she collects water from a place of significance to you to be added to any plaster or water color painting you request as a client.
If you’ve ever wandered through the rustic hallways of Lakeland’s very own Scout & Tag, you may have come across Stephanie’s iconic swan pieces, available for purchase on site. You can also shop her latest pieces at Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curb Market every Saturday. Written on the back of each canvas is Jeremiah 29:11, as a representation of the thoughtful prayer she places over her work.
Danielle Douglin
Oil Painter
As a youngster growing up in St. Thomas, Danielle Douglin could often be found drawing on a notepad while situated in a pew of the church her father pastored. More than a dozen years later, Danielle could be found drawing on a notepad—except in this case, it was in the courtroom, where her mind often wandered while interning at a public defender’s office.
The 2020 Florida Southern College graduate began her collegiate career as a political science major, but her lifelong passion for art eventually won out, and she graduated with a double major in graphic design and studio art. Today, she makes a living as a Digital Studio Designer at Publix, and on the side she continues to hone her skills crafting oil paintings on large canvases—a hobby that took root from an art class her sophomore year.
She loves to create bright and vibrant paintings that tell stories by fashioning vivid memories of iconic local spots she holds dear. Some of her oil paintings showcase local favorites like the Southgate Shopping Center, but others are distinctly personal, such as artwork of Twistee Treat or the Checker’s located in North Lakeland.
“With Checkers…I used to remember going with my family—like my sister in her (Volkswagen) Beetle—and we’d grab fries on the way home,” she recalls. “In my paintings I want it to kind of feel like what it was like in that space…so I like to have smooth things be a little bit rough or have directional paint strokes to add dimension to my paintings.”
The Volkswagen Beetle is a recurring subject in Douglin’s work. She inherited her dad’s affinity for Beetles, and she eventually purchased one herself.
“In college people would be like, ‘I knew you were at Starbucks or Mitchell’s because I saw your car there,’” she says. “So I thought about how I could put a physical representation of myself into my paintings without putting myself in them—kind of like a ‘Where’s Waldo?’ thing to represent my experience growing up in Lakeland.”
Douglin’s work has been featured at Mitchell’s Coffee House in the past, and those interested in purchasing her work can check out danielledouglin.com or contact her on Instagram at @danielledouglin.
- By RJ Walters
Rachelle Valenzuela
Oil Painter
Inspired by traditional styles and limited color palettes, local oil painter Rachelle Valenzuela fashions heartfelt, classical imagery through her lens of soft, muted tones for the home. With a sincere love for art and for people, this up-and-coming artist has dabbled in artwork most of her life. She began pursuing art full time in September 2021, and most recently took up oil painting in July 2022. She handcrafts timeless pieces that capture people, places and still life portraits in detail.
She currently studies under professional oil painter Greg Mannheimer at the Polk Museum of Art. In early summer 2020, she moved to Lakeland from Utah with her husband and two daughters. They quickly fell in love with Lakeland’s charm and the community.
She works from her home studio here in our Swan City, and she continues to collaborate with her clients to create custom artwork that is meaningful for families and cohesive to the space they will display it in.
She also describes herself as an “old soul” who is drawn artistically to “vintage elements.” She draws inspiration for her artwork from old architecture, classical music and her trips abroad, including a recent trip to Paris, France. With every piece, or “happy canvas” she handpaints, she creates artwork that include personal touches that tell part of their story.
Her works feature a unique compositional variety from the intricacies of loved ones’ faces to the vibrant form of fruits and blossoms. For commission work, you can reach out to her directly on Instagram @artbychellevalenz.
“Place art in places where people can start meaningful conversations,” she encourages.