Milo the Seagull is a lovable cartoon beach bird, hatched from the creative mind of Cedar Run-based artist Jamie Jarka earlier this year, and he’s been sweeping the region, blowing up at her art shows and on social media, stealing not only french fries, but hearts.
On a routine beach walk with her family’s chihuahua-terrier, Milo, inspiration struck. As Jarka watched the birds suddenly imagine Milo as a seagull — a symbol of resilience and adaptability. That moment sparked something magical, she said.
“Milo the Seagull is now featured in much of my artwork and is currently in the process of being trademarked,” according to Jarka.
The bird is taking off in the retail realm; find him in Beachwood Trading Co., a new store open in Smithville, as well as several shops on LBI, including Firefly Gallery.
He’s becoming literally larger than life, starring in Island home murals and, soon, on the sides of buildings.
Jarka is in the midst of creating custom commissions and various gallery displays.
“This is only the beginning,” she said. “Milo’s adventure is just taking flight.”
Connecting with people through art is one of Jarka’s superpowers; her Lil Monsters Art enterprise that she started in 2018 brings kids and adults together through special events, classes and paint parties, at fundraisers, festivals, libraries, schools and businesses.
After graduating from Southern Regional High School in 1997, Jarka attended the Art Institute of Philadelphia and Jersey and earned her bachelor’s degree in visual art and art education.
She student-taught in the Long Beach Island School District before settling into a 20-plus-year career as an art teacher in Bordertown, Stafford, Point Pleasant and, currently, Ocean Gate School District.
In 2018, when her police officer husband was injured on the job, she started Lil Monsters Art as a creative outlet, as a supplemental source of income and as the fulfillment of a longtime desire.
“What began as a single class with 35 kids quickly grew into a full-time traveling art business,” she explained. “I began bringing art into schools, libraries, hospitals, festivals and adult communities — anywhere creativity was needed.”
Cultivating her side business was deeply gratifying from the get-go, she said, but the one thing missing was her personal artistic expression.
When her good friend Mark Grasso of Rusty Anchor Trading saw one of Jarka’s early Milo pieces, he told her, “You’ve got something special, kid.”
“That encouragement, coming from a talented artist and longtime friend of over 25 years, meant the world,” she said. “I took it to heart and kept painting.”
Fast-forward a few months and Jarka is now wallpapering homes with Milo designs, putting him on T-shirts and magnets and other merchandise.
In the recent powder room mural project, Jarka painted 326 Milos. Freehand. She made it into a mini scavenger hunt for guests with “hidden Milos,” one upside down, some with two heads, and even one holding a hot dog and another with a French fry.
The simplicity of the design and the pop of personality make Milo a no-brainer.
“Of course, I’m still running Lil Monsters Art,” she said, “but I feel incredibly fulfilled by the new creative chapter Milo has sparked. Keep an eye out for his charming magnets in local stores and stay tuned. Big things are happening for Milo and me.”
Scrappy, fearless, unapologetic and apolitical, a seagull just might be the hero we all need about now.
“As a mom to two very active kids, life is always busy, but I’m endlessly grateful to my husband, family and friends for their love and support,” Jarka said. “Family comes first, always. But painting Milo has helped me reconnect with my own artistic spirit, and I’m so thankful for that.”
