Lloyd McNeill, Jr., Visiting Artist Lecture 1980

Lloyd Mcneill Jr talks about his painting, sculpture collage and drawing practice. McNeill Jr also talks about making the shift from art to music and plays the flute to the participants throughout the lecture. For McNeill Jr, the Music has allowed him to establish a more sincere contact with people and he tells the participants that he enjoys composing and writing his own music. Making Records and using records as a way to talk about what Mcneill Jr is interested has allowed him to further develop his musical practice alongside artistic practice. McNeill Jr tells the participants that he is interested in improvisational music, classical flute, and plays with his dancers, with bands and also tells stories of playing all over the streets of New York with his guitarist. Mcneill Jr reflects on his drawing practice as well. He states how his drawing practice is something that he always combines with line-work and colour. Mcneill Jr explores a wide range of themes in his drawings which include social protest, structure, composition, and even pure colour. Mcneill Jr further states that he uses drawing to instill structure and composition which range from smaller works as well as larger works. This maintains monumentality in his smaller works and can lead to an important experience. Teaching is another aspect of Mcneill Jr’s life that he shares with the participants. Mcneill Jr states that for him, teaching is about creating experiences in introspection and self reflection for his students, and not about them always wanting to be artists. Mcneill Jr ends his lecture stating that the most important thing for him as an artist is to always take care of one’s own personal space, The commitment one has to their own life and the passion one has in the involvement on one’s own life is very important.