Ed and Carol Gulley pulled into our farm this afternoon with a truckload of what Ed calls “Junk Art” to be shown and sold at the Open House. Ed is coming to talk about his art on Saturday and Sunday. He has a series of turtle sculptures , beautiful and colorful winter garden flower stands, shockingly comfortable and sturdy chairs with milk cans for bases and other inventive uses and sculptures that come from from some people think of as junk.

It’s a very different version of the kind of art Maria and the Gee’s Bend Quilters do, art made from materials that are discarded or that other people see as junk. Ed sees all kinds of characters and configurations in the detritus of a farm. He and Carol are dairy farmers, Carol and I met in cardiac rehab and became fast friends, now the four of us hang out together, laugh and talk about art.

Maria and I are both much impressed with Ed and his imagination. He is an artist, for sure, and he reinforces the notion that the creative spark is in all of us, sometimes the world conspires to keep it hidden. Carol is supportive of Ed, as Maria and I are supportive of one another.

I think encouragement is the fuel that keeps many creative spirits alive and working. Ed is a  fascinating character, a hard-working farmer, a great story-teller and without question, an artist. He did not need a gallery or an M.F.A. to make his art, and because he doesn’t let anyone tell him what to do, he is able to use his very fertile imagination in many different ways.

Ed has a healthy ego, but he is new to the idea of selling his creations as art. He doesn’t really expect to sell much of his art, but I think he will be pleasantly surprised. Is is fun, original, imaginative. And very inexpensive. I kidded Ed, this is his first show, the prices will be much higher next time.  I imagine people will love it. Ed is one those people – Maria is another – who sees things other people do not see. In the garbage and detritus of life, stuff most people never look at, Ed sees turtles, flowers, stick figures and surprising chairs.

He calls himself a “Junk Artist,” but we just call him an artist. Maria is very happy to be showing his work in the Open House, nothing makes her happier than to help discover a new artist with talent.