Walter E. Neil
Walt “Wali” Neil, age 66, took his Solar transition around the sun peacefully on Sunday, June 21, 2020, during the Summer Solstice after succumbing to cancer.
Wali, as he is affectionally known, was born February 19, 1954 in Columbus, Ohio and is an Ohio mural and visual artist, singer extraordinaire, drummer, educator and citizen of the world. His murals have been a part of the community landscape in Columbus, Cleveland, and Euclid, Ohio; Atlanta, Georgia; and St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. He is also an accomplished vocalist, drummer, and teacher of the arts. He believed in the goodness of humanity and became a citizen of the world, but a lover of the African Diaspora where he taught art and music courses in the fishing villages of Ngor in Senegal, West Africa, and was a consultant to Harambee II, Wholistic Stress Control Institute in Atlanta, Georgia. His art has been seen at the King Art Complex in Columbus, Ohio; he worked as an artist-in-residence at the African American Museum, and was a participant artist in the Chalk Festival at the Cleveland Museum of Art and has shown his work at both Cleveland and Euclid City Halls and libraries. Several of his murals can be found at the Shore Cultural Centre in Euclid, Ohio where he resided with his beloved wife, Denise Goodrich Neil for 19 years.
Wali is an “Artist of the Spirit” who majored in commercial art. His mentors were the likes of inspired artists Tom Pannell, Ed Colston and Bill Agnew who all ushered his consciousness into the most challenging profession on earth… “being an African American Artist in America!!!”
Wali is preceded in death by his mother, father and sister Lois Sowards Neil. Ralph Neil and Laurenceen “Lark” Jennings. He leaves a brother, Markus (Janel) Neil of Baltimore, MD; sister, Litoni Neil; step-mother, Mary Neil-Smith; and other relatives. He is remembered by many, many friends far and wide, especially by Poet Is Said (Columbus), Sis. Omelika (Atlanta) and Ms. Dolly (Euclid).
Wali has joined the Ancestors in the cloud of witnesses and will continue to guide our paths. His Spirit lives on in his Art and the vibrations of his music are still moving out in the Cosmos! There will be a A Celebration of Wali’s life at a later date, please check back on the website.
One Love!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=407qStp8KR4