In addition to the music and art exhibit, Dr. Bill Bryant of Natchitoches gave a watercolor demonstration and discussion at Gallery One Ellleven in Leesville, Louisiana to a group of nearly 30. In addition to discussing his work on display, Dr. Bryant gave an overview of how he works with the medium and demonstrated on Aquaboard, a rigid board developed specifically for watercolor by Ampersand of Austin, Texas.

Gallery One EIIIeven in Leesville continues its mission of bringing high quality visual and performing arts to the West Central Louisiana area by providing an exhibition of recent watercolor paintings by Dr. Bill Bryant of Natchitoches. This exhibition will be held at Gallery One EIIIeven in the Historic District of Downtown Leesville, Louisiana from February 4-28.

On Saturday, February 28 Dr. Bryant will conduct a watercolor demonstration at 10:00 am in the Gallery, with at reception for the artist being held that evening at 7:00 in the Gallery. Both the watercolor demonstration and the reception for the artist are free and open to the public.

At the reception on Saturday, February 28, guests will be treated to a performance by The Back Porch Band, of which Dr. Bryant is a performing member. Funding for this performance is made possible by the Vernon Parish Tourism Commission.

Dr. Bryant is a nationally recognized watercolorist, educator and musician. In addition to having his work consistently exhibited in prominent exhibitions across the country, he is past coordinator of the Department of Visual Arts at Northwestern State University. Bryant received his bachelor's degree at Centenary, a master's of fine arts in painting from Corcoran School of Art and a doctorate in art education from Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Bryant summarizes his view of what makes a good work of art this way: "A painting is like a good novel, a poem or good piece of music. It is well composed," he said. "It should make you feel a certain way. You don't have to feel the same way the artist felt. It should sum up a feeling, thought or idea about something but it doesn't have to be expressive.

Bill Bryant is an expert dulcimer player. He saw his first dulcimer in 1972, made one the following year and has been playing ever since. This passion with the dulcimer began in Lexington, Kentucky, while teaching at the University of Kentucky. Even though this interest in the dulcimer began as an adult, a lifetime interest in folk music and stringed instruments prompted him to learn to play this instrument. String band music was traditional in his family, which is probably why he also builds and plays the fiddle, guitar, banjo, and Irish penny whistle.

Bryant began playing in an established band in about 1977 with Hurst Hall and Bill Hunt. Another band he participated in, called Mountain Music, was made up of Bill Hunt, Kelly Knowlton, Valerie Clark, and Hurst Hall. Much later in the 1990s, Richard Rose, Michael Yankowski, and Karen Gordy joined them in a band known as the Back Porch Band. The Back Porch Band still participates in many events all over central Louisiana, including the Green Market in Natchitoches, Louisiana and the Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival. Because of his musical talent, Dr. Bill Bryant was inducted into the Louisiana Folklife Center’s Hall of Master Folk Artists in 2001.