A Trail of Color: How one artist is helping Pine Island heal

PINE ISLAND, Fla. (WINK) — Drive through Pine Island, and you'll find splashes of color around nearly every corner.

Bright murals decorate businesses, neighborhoods, and community spaces, each telling a different story about the island and the people who call it home. Behind many of them is local artist Ashley Johnson, whose work has become part of Pine Island's landscape.

Now, Johnson is inviting visitors to experience those stories through a self-guided mural trail stretching across the island.

"This trail is to show people that Pine Island is doing okay," Johnson said. "We are bringing color back to the island. While we are still recovering, we want to welcome people here."

The trail features 12 murals that begin in Matlacha and wind to James City. While each piece reflects the spirit of Pine Island, no two murals are the same.

"They all have pieces of Pine Island in them," Johnson said. "But every mural is unique to the business or neighborhood it's painted for. I can't pick a favorite because they're all so different."

The mural trail offers more than a chance to admire artwork. It also highlights the island's thriving creative community.

"Pine Island is an artistic community," Johnson said. "We have so many local artists right here."

For Johnson, the murals represent something deeper than paint on a wall. They capture the stories, struggles, and spirit of the island itself.

Some hold special meaning. One mural at Beacon of Hope is particularly personal because of the support the organization has provided her family. Others have transformed familiar spaces, bringing new life and color to places like the local KOA campground, where staff say they enjoy seeing the vibrant artwork every day.

Johnson's path to becoming a mural artist was anything but traditional.

Before painting murals across Southwest Florida, she worked in the pageant industry and later took a job at a local business after moving to Pine Island. Her artistic career began unexpectedly when her husband, a shrimp fisherman, asked her to paint the logo on his boat.

"I was like, 'Are you sure?'" Johnson recalled. "I painted it, took a step back, and realized I was able to paint."

Even then, finding her artistic voice took time.

Johnson said she initially struggled with creating art in styles that didn't feel authentic to her. That changed after meeting her mentor, Peggy, who encouraged her to trust her instincts.

"Peggy is my mentor," Johnson said. "The best advice she gave me was to stick to an art style that suits me. I tried to paint everything perfectly, but now I trust my gut."

That advice helped shape the artist Johnson is today.

Through her mentor's guidance and her own creativity, Johnson has left her mark across Pine Island, one mural at a time. Together, the paintings form more than a trail. They create a colorful reminder of a community that continues to rebuild, celebrate its identity, and welcome visitors along the way.