White-capped waves lap the red sands of Cavendish Beach. As Prince Edward Island’s tourist season draws to an end, so too does the foot traffic on the isle’s rocky shore nearest to the Anne Of Green Gables Heritage Place.

Historically known as the spot where the ill-fated Marco Polo wrecked in 1883, it is now the site of a pop-up art exhibit for one of this year’s most promising mixed media artists, Milton C. Gull.

The exact location of this late bloomer’s series titled It Came From Above has been the island’s best kept secret, until today…

Word of the arrival of several Whale Rock Workshops KidLit authors (aspiring and published) spread faster than the aroma of a Cow’s Creamery waffle weaving around the shops on Charlottetown’s Peak’s Wharf. The old bird’s friends and family flock to the water’s edge to observe our small group’s reactions. Even Milton’s crusty old neighbor crawls from under his rock to see what all the commotion is about.

Known to be rather shy when approached by strangers, we creep towards the fledgling genius on tiptoe. His head bobs in our direction the moment our footsteps threaten the destruction of his outdoor atelier.

We back off, express our interest in his work, then take a chance and ask if he’d be down for a brief interview. He agrees, under one condition…that we refer to him as  Milty.

Milty’s background is sketchy. His creations are not. Artfully Walls suggests “the key art trends in 2024 include chocolate brown color themes, mixed media artworks, portraiture with a modern twist, and abstract shapes…”

Milty does not disappoint. Using nature’s color palette, his impromptu creations on rich, dark sand reflect the soft greys of a cloudy day, the stark whites of an angry sea, the various black tones hidden in stretched strands of dried seaweed. As “a salute to Chris Ofili,” who gained notoriety early in his career for his use of elephant dung in his paintings, Milty incorporates actual bits of his own digested fodder in his creations.

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When it’s suggested that he works to suit a trend, Milty’s feathers are visibly rustled. Professional as he is, Milty shakes the audacious comment off, stands tall, and squawks, “The world is my canvas. The wind is my muse. It takes me where I need to go.”

Is art subjective or objective?
You decide, Dear Reader…
and if you’ve made it this far, I thank you for stopping by today.
❤ Be Well ❤

*The Poop Art Collection Of Milton C. Gull is inspired by art museum visitors who mistook a discarded shoe in a room for an art piece. It is not meant to denigrate or make light of any artist’s creation, especially those of my artist friends.

 *Many thanks to Whale Rock Workshops and their Anne of Green Gables Retreat
as well…

My little tribute to L. M. Montgomery