Jarrett and his ongoing work of art at the post office

BY NIKKI HEIMANN - It’s been dubbed the Mystery of the Tarpon. For the past few weeks many islanders have noticed that something fishy is going on at the post office. The face of our famous local fish has conspicuously appeared on the floor overnight with no explanation. Local rumor about the beautifully spraypainted tarpon leaves everyone wondering if it was the work of some late night graffiti artist, or if it was intentional art.

The work was solicited by Mark Spurgeon, owner of the building, who asked island teen Jarrett Bottjer to liven up the post office and beautify the cracked floor near the alley entrance. The masterpiece is not yet complete; more colors and creatures will be added soon. Jarrett’s been working on the painting a couple of hours at a time, a few nights a week.

Jarrett, 18, grew up on the island and has many close friends here. He likes spending long days at the beach, skim boarding and skating around town. He loves the quintessential “barefoot and crazy” life.

The Lemon Bay graduate (class of 2012) has also been an avid fisherman since we was a young boy, working his way up to become first mate on tarpon charters during the summer to make some extra cash.

He loves the tarpon, and it shows in his fantastic work on the post office floor.

He’s been drawing and painting for as long as he can remember, never realizing his natural artistic ability until high school. Compliments from peers and elders encouraged him to take an art class, which he did not enjoy. The philosophy that there are rules to art simply doesn’t appeal to him. What he loves to draw is realistic sea life.

Now Jarrett works at the Pass Club and tries to fish as much as he can. During the slow months of summer he lives in Nantucket, Mass. at a local surf shop.

One thing is certain, he’s a true character, and thoroughly entertaining with his side-splitting jokes.

“I want to thank Mark Spurgeon for giving me the opportunity to leave my mark on the island,” he said. “But please, don’t make a mark on my painting with that garbage can. It’s scratching the paint.”

( 2 Votes )