Bryan, Ashley

Ashley Bryan lived in Islesford from 1980 to 2019. During his time on the islands, he was a beloved community member and prolific artist, creating many fantastical works. He passed away in 2022, but is remembered as a kind, creative and generous community member. He is the author of several award winning books, and recognized for his skill as an artist, poet, and teacher. The following biography is an excerpt from the booklet “Artists of Cranberry Isles” written by Wini Smart.

“Widely known as a teacher, painter, author, and storyteller, Ashley is a graduate of Cooper Union and Columbia University. He taught at Dartmouth College, where he is Professor Emeritus of Art. Ashley first saw [Little Cranberry Island and Great Cranberry Island] in 1946, while on a scholarship painting trip granted by the Skowhegan School of Art. He came again, visiting artist Charles Wadsworth. Then another year, he and two other friends rented the Stanley house. He continued to rent on both [Little and Great Cranberry] for nearly thirty years before buying his own home on Islesford in 1974.

“Ashley has delighted thousands of children and adults across the country, visiting classrooms as a storyteller, reciting poetry, and reading from his own books. He gives a memorable performance, reading in a dramatic, almost musical way, emphasizing or drawing out each word. His children’s books are an appreciation of African history and culture and the African-American experience. He has received several awards for his contribution to children’s literature.

“[...] A visit to his home is a memorable experience; it’s a trip into a fantasy land for children. Every surface – shelves, tables, counters and windowsills – is neatly filled with toys and puppets of every shape and kind. Ashley recently built an addition onto his home to make more room for it all.

“For recreation he loves to walk the beach, always finding treasures: sea glass, bleached bones, driftwood, or shells. These are all stored for use in stained glass panels or for puppet-making. Summers find him painting in his or a neighbor’s garden. He loves color and uses it generously. Even his black and white woodcuts give a sense of being in color.”

Today, the Ashley Bryan school on Islesford is named in honor of his legacy of enthusiastic, empathetic teaching. A student of the school said of the renaming, “Ashley deserves this award because he’s an absolutely amazing person. He teaches us in school. He teaches us in his home. Being in Ashley’s house is like being in Ashley’s imagination. He helps not only in our small community here in Islesford, but in the global community. And he’s an honor to have here on our island” ("Thank You, Ashley Bryan" at Seacoast Mission [ https://seacoastmission.org/thank-you-ashley-bryan/ : accessed 20 December 2025]).