Artist, musician, teacher, and cartoonist Bill Bryant has passed away.
Dr. Billy Joe (Bill) Bryant
October 19, 1936 – January 18, 2021
In 1976, Bill moved his family back to Louisiana where he began his teaching career at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, retiring as Professor Emeritus in the Department of Fine and Graphic Arts in 2004.
Throughout his life, Bill Bryant was immersed in a spectrum of art and music activities.
He was a member of the Hoover Watercolor Society and participated as artist and juror in many regional exhibitions.
Bill became heavily involved in the folk music revival, learning to make and play mountain dulcimers during his time in Kentucky. For over three decades, he performed with The Back Porch Band, which was an integral part of the Natchitoches Northwestern Folk Festival.
In 2001, he was inducted into the Louisiana Folklife Center’s Hall of Master Folk Artists for his dulcimer craftsmanship.
© Bill Bryant
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Combining his drawing talent with his famous sense of humor, Bill was also a contributing cartoonist for the Natchitoches Times for many years with his armadillo-themed comic strip.
Alice: Bonnie and I are so sorry for your loss. Bill was truly a great friend of mine since 1945, the year we first met. He will surely be missed by me. May God bless you and your family during your times of difficulty. We want you to know you will be in our Prayers.
Bobby Wilson