A remorseful chalk vandal left a message this morning on the buffalo sculpture installed outside The Art Spirit Gallery on Sherman Avenue in downtown Coeur d'Alene.

Gallery owner Steve Gibbs discovered a cryptic question scrawled in chalk on the consigned art piece: "When is art vandalism?"

There was also an apology: "Sorry about the chalk."

Gibbs said he is curious what the writer's intent was, why he or she felt compelled to write the question on the buffalo.

Gibbs told The Press he found the question interesting, and fortunately, not damaging. The chalk can be cleaned off.

"The buffalo was tipped on its nose once in 2008 and has been ridden many times. Otherwise it has only had dandelions and cigarettes left in its mouth and thousands of photos taken," Gibbs wrote.

The buffalo sculpture's artist is Bill Ohrman, a 93-year-old Angus rancher/artist out of Drummond, Mont., who is still welding large sculptures.

"Bill Drummond is such an amazing guy," Gibbs said.

What do you think the question "When is art vandalism?" means?