Juanita McNeely

Juanita McNeely (born 1936, St. Louis, Missouri) is an American feminist artist known for her bold works that illustrate the nude female experience in her figurative paintings, prints, paper cut-outs and ceramic pieces. Feminist elements in her work include the portrayal of female experiences such as abortion, rape, and menstruation with a display of powerful emotion. Her recurring health problems and expressive figurative compositions have prompted comparisons to Frida Kahlo. According to McNeely, "we as women must continue the struggle to hold on to our rights, or let the children lead the way."

In her early years, McNeely spent time at the Saint Louis Art Museum, where she saw works by Paul Gauguin, Henri Matisse, and the German Expressionists. At the age of 15, after winning an art scholarship for an oil painting, McNeely dedicated her life to art. She enrolled in the St. Louis School of Fine Arts at Washington University and began to study art. Under the careful eye of Werner Drewes, who served as her inspiration, McNeely began rigorous training in composition and technique. By her sophomore year, the professors allowed her to work without models because of her intuitive knowledge of the human form.

In her first year of college, McNeely was hospitalized for excessive bleeding; she was subsequently diagnosed with cancer and given three to six months to live. She has identified this experience as the reason why she is unafraid to talk about "the things that are not necessarily pleasant." Another obstacle in her early years was sexism in the art world. She later recalled that an anatomy teacher pulled her aside during class and told her "Look, you will never make it as an artist...because you're too skinny and you don't look like a good f...k." This experience also contributed to the feminist themes in her work.

After a short hiatus in Mexico, McNeely began her graduate studies at Southern Illinois University, where she worked on a Happening with Allan Kaprow. She subsequently went to Chicago, where she persuaded the Art Institute of Chicago to give her a job while she continued to paint and exhibit in solo and group shows.

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