Published Monday, December 5, 2005 In the Lakeland Ledger

Public art display is a fundraiser for a children's playground.

By AURORA RODRIGUEZ
The Ledger

Take a leisurely tour of Lakeland and you'll see some bright, quirky fiberglass swans decorating businesses downtown and adjoining areas. Some wear top hats. Others sport scenic paintings.

They've become well known works of public art since "Swansation" organizers unveiled them in October 2002 as a fundraiser for Explorations V Children's Museum.

The birds are about to begin sharing the attention with another colorful winged creature.

"Kaleidoscope, Butterflies in Flight," an art project featuring aluminum butterfly sculptures with wingspans that will range from 4 to 7 feet, is taking flight. With their first one now in hand, organizers are seeking artists to give life and color to the winged insects, which eventually will decorate various Lakeland spots from October 2006 to April 2007.

As with the fiberglass swans, blank aluminum butterflies will be given to artists to be completed.

Proposed designs, which could reflect cultural and regional themes, will be accepted until Dec. 12, when they will be studied by an artistic review committee.

Once chosen, artists will each be awarded a $1,000 prize, and their names will be engraved on a plaque placed on the butterfly. The final creations will be unveiled at a "Butterfly Bash," expected to happen April 18, 2006, in the Magnolia Building , where sponsors will meet the artists and pick up the designs for their butterflies.

Proceeds from the project will help pay to build CommonGround PlayGround, a playscape designed in the shape of a butterfly where children with and without disabilities can play together.

"We're very excited about Kaleidoscope, and are optimistic that we'll be able to raise a significant amount of money for a good cause," said Donna Henricks, co-chairwoman of Kaleidoscope. "We chose the butterfly because we believe it's a symbolic representation of the individuality of each child, since they're each unique. We want the artists to add their own touches to every one of them."

The butterflies come in three sizes with different price tags for those interested in adopting one. The 8-foot-tall Emperor required a $25,000 donation, and all of those already have sponsors.

Sponsors are still being sought for the 6-foot-tall Monarchs at $10,000. And the 5-foot Swallowtails at $4,000.

Larry Norman, president of GMF Industries, got involved in building the butterflies last summer when the city sent his company examples of what the creatures should look like. Interested, he jumped at the chance to build them, and the company finished putting together the first Emperor in late November.

"The prototype took us about three weeks to develop, and then about half a day to assemble the parts that hold it together," said Norman , as he pointed at the 8foot-tall, bare sculpture in his factory's garage.

"The butterfly is made of weather-proof aluminum, upon a carbon-steel base. It's primed and prepared so that artists can paint right on the wings and body. They're built strong enough to stand rough hurricane winds and will be bolted to the ground to prevent them from moving. They're beautiful, and artists will have fun decorating them."

Eaton LaVigne, also of Kaleidoscope, mentioned organizers have sent notices to about 1,500 artists who submitted designs to "Swansation," to urge them to participate this time around.

"We expect to get back about 250 responses," said LaVigne. "Artists can submit more than one idea. There's no limit when it comes to creativity, and it's for a cause that would benefit a lot of needy children in Polk County ."

CommonGround will be Polk County 's first public park designed for kids of all ages and abilities to come with their families and enjoy playtime. "Bailey the Butterfly" is the park's mascot. There will be a story-time chair, a playground area with swings and mazes, a secret garden of discovery where children in need of a quiet space can relax, and a shade trellis area designed for resting.

Around Florida , there are six of the so-called "inclusive" public playgrounds.

Polk County has about 15,000 special-needs children that could benefit from having one closer to home, according to Kaleidoscope organizers. Right now, the nearest one is in Brandon . CommonGround will be in Lakeland on Edgewood Drive near the city tennis center.

LaVigne said she hopes the call for artists will raise awareness of the needs of these children and the upcoming metamorphosis that will take place as Lakeland 's downtown streets begin to swarm with butterflies.

"If all goes as planned, all our prototypes will be ready by late December, and the rest are expected to be built by April 2006," LaVigne said. "It's still all a work in progress, but if it's anything like `Swansation,' where we earned more than $400,000 for The Explorations V Children's Museum, I'm sure soon enough all our children will have an appropriate place to share together, and downtown will benefit from a new artistic display."

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