Im a Mississippi boy who grew up with Walters block prints and watercolors on my walls.
A Gallery Of Walter Anderson’s Artwork
Equally mesmerizing is the mythology of Walters life.
What could compel a person to take these risks, to live this unconventional life?
A bird’s eye view of Horn Island showcases her narrow width and many lagoons.Credit:Brown Cannon III
I had to know.
As I shouldered my overstuffed bag and took my first quivering steps, Heather tried her best to help.
Dont wear yourself out, she counseled.
Walter Anderson in the tiny boat he sailed and rowed to and from Horn Island.Credit:Images courtesy The Family of Walter Anderson
Theres no need to rush.
Eager to find the perfect spot, I dismissed her warnings and set off on my mile-long trek.
Backpackingon solid ground is a workout.
On sand, its exhausting.
Add the blazing sun and endless dunes, and its downright unhinged.
When I finally caught my breath, I couldnt believe my eyes.
I had never seen such a sizable stretch of shore without the blemish of human habitation.
No high-rises, no umbrellas, no peoplejust sand, surf, and the horizon.
As I reached the tide line, I shook my head, bewildered by the cerulean sea before me.
But what I found on the south side of Horn was a beautiful Gulf blue.
I let out a deep sighI was there at last.
Rest was elusive that night.
Id come expecting quiet, but Horn Islands soundtrack featured thundering waves and ear-buffeting winds.
The first one blew in right after breakfast.
I felt in my bones that it was going to be a good day.
The aroma of fresh-brewed coffee lured me and the other explorers to breakfast.
Pouring myself a cup from the dented aluminum pot on the camp stove, I surveyed the group.
Thats John Anderson, she replied.
Anybody who wants to come is welcome.
Nearly everything thats been written about Daddy is wrong, John said.
Hes been described as a man who suffered from hopeless mental illness his entire life.
Walters madness was part of the mythology Id grown up with.
The family believed he might be schizophrenic, John said.
He believed it, too, that he might go crazy.
The only place Daddy found the most complete sanity was when he was one with nature.
These things, he thought, blind our eyes and deafen our ears to the beauty that surrounds us.
People need a place from which to look, John said.
It was like I was living inside one of his paintings.
On my way back to my campsite, something surprising happened.
Spellbound, I sank to my knees and started to cry.
I didnt understand why at firstI was simply overwhelmed.
Later, distance and time gave me the clarity to put the pieces together.
I had arrived carrying more than a bulging backpack.
I came desperately seeking inspiration and peace.
Not yesterday, not tomorrowright now.
Feeling untethered yet grounded, I wiped my face, stood up, and walked down the beach.
His spirit walks on Horn Island still.
People need to understand and enjoy the park for what it isnot for what they want it to be.
Im concerned about the direction the park service is going, Moore said.
Someone has to be there to enforce the rules.
If people dont understand the reasoning behind a rule, then they think its okay to break it.
For now, its up to every person who visits Horn Island to tread lightly and leave no trace.
Without protection, this fragile ecosystem thats fighting to survive is at tremendous riskat our shared peril.
As Walter said, If I destroy nature, and if nature is my source, I destroy myself.
A year after this trip, Horn Island still whispers to me.
An alligator cruises one of the many lagoons that dot the interior of Horn Island.Credit:Brown Cannon III
First, you must step away from your grind.
Finally, open your eyes and your ears.
It is only by disconnecting that we reconnect.
Heather Carter Martin, Horn Island Guide.
How to Get There
Rugged and wild, this terrain isnt for the faint of heart.
The best way to experience Horn Island is on a chartered voyage.
Here are a few of my favorites.
Jason Martin, Horn Island Guide.
Dont skip the Little Room.
Its what inspired me to go on my own journey to Horn.
Shearwater Pottery
Walter came from a family of makers.
Senior Editor Josh Miller spends his days beachcombing the endless dunes.Credit:Brown Cannon III
Visitors are welcome, and pottery is available for purchase on a limited basis.
It carries on his mission of making beautiful art available to all by screen printing his original designs.
Some of his block prints are sold unadorned, while others are given new life by local watercolorists.
Pelicans fly just above the Gulf-blue waters.Credit:Brown Cannon III
Blushing pink, a full moon rises over the dunes on Horn Island.Credit:Brown Cannon III
A full harvest moon rises over the Gulf of Mexico.Credit:Brown Cannon III
An ominous storm rumbles to life out in the Gulf of Mexico.Credit:Brown Cannon III
Walter Anderson’s legacy endures through the efforts of his youngest son, John.Credit:Josh Miller
Water lilies grace the surface of Horn Island’s numerous lagoons.Credit:Brown Cannon III
Slightly smaller than bald eagles, ospreys nest in Horn Island’s wind-blasted trees.Credit:Brown Cannon III
The sun sets on another blissfully peaceful day on Horn Island.Credit:Brown Cannon III
Relentless winds sculpt wave-like patterns in Horn Island’s snowy white sands.Credit:Josh Miller
When was the last time yours were the first footprints in the sand?.Credit:Brown Cannon III
While they are permitted, campfires must be carefully monitored to protect this delicate ecosystem.Credit:Josh Miller
From left to right, Senior Editor Josh Miller, photographer Brown Cannon, and Horn Island Guides Heather and Jason Martin.Credit:Josh Miller
