Was She Real? Yes, She Was!
In which I’m thinking about Juanita McNeely, & her obit
“Juanita McNeely, Intense Artist of the Female Experience, Dies at 87”
— The New York Times, November 2, 2023
A tribute to Juanita McNeely, an “uncompromising painter” who transformed pain into art — including “the sweetest and most brutal moments of her own female experience.”
I regret to say I only learned about her, and her work, upon reading her obituary last week, but I have barely stopped thinking of her since. I created this collage in her honor, and am grateful that she was here, and was indeed very real.
“Juanita McNeely, Groundbreaking Feminist Artist Who Bravely Depicted Her Illegal Abortion, Dies at 87”
— ARTNews, October 26, 2023
Check her out. Rest easy, Juanita. Thank you for your art.
“I’m as interested in what is going to happen next, on the other side.” — Juanita McNeely