Ashley Bryan Center

THE ORGANIZATION IS ORGANIZED EXCLUSIVELY FOR CHARITABLE AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES INCLUDING PROVIDING A VENUE FOR EXHIBITS OF ART AND ARTISTIC COLLECTIONS; SPONSORING SEMINARS, LECTURES AND GATHERINGS THAT ENCOURAGE AND PROMOTE THE CREATIVE ARTS; AND PROVIDING AN EDUCATIONAL SETTING TO DESCRIBE AND CELEBRATE THE LIFE AND CREATIVITY OF ASHLEY BRYAN.

LIKE THE REST OF THE WORLD, THE ASHLEY BRYAN CENTER WAS PROFOUNDLY EFFECTED BY THE RAVAGES OF THE PANDEMIC. NEVERTHELESS, IMPORTANT EVENTS REAFFIRMED ASHLEY'S IMPORTANCE. IN JANUARY, ASHLEY WAS HONORED BY HIS ALMA MATER, THE COOPER UNION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND ART WHERE NICK CLARK, THE FOUNDING DIRECTOR, PROVIDED THE INTRODUCTION. ONGOING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE STAFF CONTINUED WITH THE MAINE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM AND THEATER FOR THEIR GRAND RE-OPENING WHICH INCLUDED AN INTERACTIVE INSTALLATION BASED ON ASHLEY'S BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD. FEBRUARY BROUGHT A REQUEST TO LEND TO AN EXHIBITION OF NEW ENGLAND ILLUSTRATORS, ORGANIZED BY THE PORTSMOUTH (NH) HISTORICAL SOCIETY SCHEDULED FOR THE SUMMER OF 2022. ADDITIONALLY, NICK CLARK DID A ZOOM PRESENTATION ABOUT ASHLEY FOR THE MAINE WRITERS GROUP AND CONTINUED DISCUSSIONS WITH LYNNE FARRINGTON AT PENN ABOUT THE STATUS AND PROCESSING OF ASHLEY'S ARCHIVE. NICK CLARK SPENT 10 DAYS IN MAY IN ASHLEY'S HOUSE ORGANIZING PAINTINGS AND MATERIALS IN PREPARATION FOR VISITS FROM CURATORS OF THE VARIOUS MAINE MUSEUMS IN LINE FOR GIFTS OF ASHLEY'S PAINTINGS. IN JUNE, NICK PARTICIPATED IN A PROGRAM WITH THE ASPEN INSTITUTE (COLORADO) ABOUT THE ROLE OF PHILANTHROPY FOR ARTIST'S FOUNDATIONS. HE JOINED EXECUTIVES FROM THE HELEN FRANKENTHALER AND THE IRVING PENN FOUNDATIONS. THE MAINE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM HOSTED THE OPENING OF THEIR NEW FACILITY WHICH INCLUDED ASHLEY. GOVERNOR MILLS ATTENDED THE OPENING EVENT AND SPOKE WARMLY OF ASHLEY. SHE WAS TO MAKE A POINT OF VISITING HIM IN THE ISLESFORD IN AUGUST WHERE THEY SWAPPED RECITATIONS OF POETRY. IN JULY, THE ERIC CARLE MUSEUM ORGANIZED AN EXHIBITION OF ASHLEY BRYAN AND SONG, DRAWING FROM THEIR RICH PERMANENT COLLECTION. OCTOBER BROUGHT ASHLEY'S INCLUSION IN AN EXHIBITION OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS AT HOUGHTON LIBRARY, HARVARD, CELEBRATING THE GIFT OF MAJOR COLLECTOR PETER J. SOLOMON AND THE RENOVATION OF THE LIBRARY TO MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE FOR DISABLED VISITORS. THE FALL ALSO SAW NUMEROUS CALLS AND MEETINGS IN ADVANCE OF THE SERIES OF EXHIBITIONS AT COLBY, BOWDOIN, THE MORGAN LIBRARY, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA TO HONOR ASHLEY IN 2022, CULMINATING WITH THE FARNSWORTH MUSEUM IN ROCKLAND, MAINE, WHICH WAS ALSO ACCORDING HIM THE PRESTIGIOUS MAINE ARTIST AWARD. ASHLEY WAS LIVING WITH HIS NIECE VANESSA IN HOUSTON, AND BY THE END OF THE YEAR, THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE CONCERN ABOUT HIS HEALTH; FORTUNATELY HE WAS AWARE OF ALL THE EXHIBITIONS AND AWARDS THAT WERE IN PROCESS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.

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