It is rare to meet an eight-year-old with a solo art exhibition under their belt and a poetry prize to their name.
But Milo Rose, from Murchison, is anything but typical. At just six, he held his first solo exhibition, while this year he won the Furphy Junior Poetry award and shared second place (with another poem) with his brother, Errol Rose. Creativity runs deep in their family.
At only eight years old, Milo’s talent and wisdom go well beyond his years.
Milo’s artistic talents stretch across various mediums, including large-scale paintings, printworks, sculptures and poetry. As a member of the SAM Club at the Shepparton Art Museum, he finds inspiration in the works of Sylvia Plath, John Cooper Clarke and Solli Raphael.
Recently, Milo took some time to share his thoughts with The News.
When did you start creating art and poetry?
I think I was around four when I started writing my first poems, mostly haikus. I’ve always loved writing poetry. I’ve got paintings I made when I was a baby, so I guess I’ve always painted with Mum and now I do it on my own.
How do you find inspiration for your work?
I love reading. I read lots of poetry books and fantasy novels. I also love going to the art gallery. I saw a Yayoi Kusama exhibition last year and I’m still thinking about how cool it was. I also like printing out lyrics to songs and reading them like poems; I love Adrianne Lenker’s song Evol and Bob Dylan’s Subterranean Homesick Blues.
How often do you create new pieces?
I write new poems most days, or at least a few a week, and I make new things with my artwork every day, even if it’s just a few drawings or a funny collage from an old Aldi catalogue.
What do you enjoy most about creating art and poetry?
I like the feeling of having finished something that I made from scratch. I really like it when I have lots of ideas at the start and see what they turn out like by the end.
Can you tell me more about your creative process?
I like to take a pen and paper with me when I ride my bike down our street; I have a favourite tree I call Ghost Gum, and I like to sit under it and write down my ideas. With my painting, I like to look at old stuff I’ve made and make new, different versions.
How did it feel to become a Furphy Junior Poetry winner?
I was really shocked actually, I didn’t expect to win but I was so happy I did and when I got home I started writing for the next year. I’m shortlisted again this year so I’m feeling really excited to go to the awards again.
Who are your biggest supporters when it comes to your art and poetry?
Definitely my mum and dad, they give me lots of things to read and books to look at. They also let me home-school, so I have lots of time to do all the things I love.
What hopes and dreams do you have for the future?
I don’t really think about the future too much, but I do love the idea of studying deep sea marine biology and learning Latin one day and maybe playing in a band with my brothers. And I imagine I’ll always write poems and make funny drawings.
Do you have any advice for other young artists and poets?
My advice is to make lots of art and write lots of poems. Keep trying if you make something you don’t like, and don’t be afraid to make something wacky or crazy. And if you’re painting, paint with acrylics; they’re easy to mix and to clean up, and they dry really quickly, which is good for layering.
Here’s Milo’s 2024 Furphy Junior Poetry-winning poem, Energetic.
Energetic!
How poetic,
the eerie noise of wind on bark,
like the whistle
of kettles. The bite
of frost on grass
that chills and kills the snapdragons.
O mornings of May
that take down red leaves,
like my pants
off the clothesline
all damp.
The sound
of a harsh bark
from a bichon frise
goes pop! like fizz.
A celebration this is,
to watch the fog fill
the fields like clouds
in the sky.