Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Neil Myers

We recently had the chance to connect with Neil Myers and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Neil, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Painting of course! The one steady star in my life, aside from family, has always been painting. I told someone recently that I am beginning to believe that the point of the work – to a very large degree, is in the doing of the work. As much or more so even than the physical works produced. Many artists, including myself, do the work in order to hold ourselves together.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am known for a kind of “magical realism” style of work which depicts the scenes I paint in bright colors and very thick paint. I am known, in large part, for my western and southwestern works. However I often say “the whole world is the subject.” So my paintings and drawings can vary from the Arizona deserts, to Europe, to Easter Island, or even to outer worldly subjects like “Cometscapes.”

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
Probably my longtime friendships with the French artist Jean-Claude Quilici, as well as with his cousin, the late Augustin Quilici. Both men taught me that life as an artist is at least possible – that one could dream and achieve great things with hard work and a dedication to originality.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes indeed. In 2009 my body was being ravaged by a spinal cord tumor that crushed my spinal cord into a small filament. I had been living with numb legs, excruciating back pain, nausea, and sleep deprivation. It was found in 2009 and removed by emergency surgery. But right at the point where I had essentially given up, I also became a father. My older son Liam was a big motivator in pushing me to rehabilitate my legs. And I re-learned how to walk by holding on to his stroller.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Whose ideas do you rely on most that aren’t your own?
On the chalkboard of my studio wall I have the phrase which is attributed to the Carthaginian General Hannibal which reads “We will find a way or we will make one.” I love this quote on a lot of levels. As an artist, holding this idea in my mind helps me not fear whether my work will be good or bad – rather, it helps me believe that a concentrated effort will create the absolute inevitability of a positive result. And that may come from either discovery or pure creation.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most happy when I am smack dab right in the middle of the act of creation. When time slips away and it is just me and the movement of the brush. There is a point, usually when I am well into the work, where I lose all perception of time, and even the act of painting. And it feels like an autopilot has been turned on, channeling all those little judgements and reactions into contrasts and strokes. At such times, even I feel like I am a passenger on the train of creation – eager to see where it ends up.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.neilmyersfineart.com
• Instagram: @neilmyersfineart
• Youtube: @neilmyersart
• Other: @neilmyersfineart on TikTok

Image Credits
All images are Copyrighted Neil Myers Fine Art