Bruce McNeil – Environmental Fine Arts Photographer
Age 80, of Washington DC, passed away on May 6 in the District of Columbia in his sleep at Sibley Memorial Hospital. He was born in New York City on February 19, 1939 son of late Louise and James Lee McNeil (Military), His mother is buried at Arlington National Cemetery with his step-father, Thomas Carey (Military). He is survived by his wife, Misty Brown; sister Tami Brunson (Keith) and her daughters Janiece (Carmel NY) and Jasmine (Miami Fl); and his children Keith and twins Kevin & Karen. Two other sisters Lori and Jan are deceased.
After studying photography and dark room techniques in New York, with a stint at Look magazine, Bruce moved to Montreal where he worked at the McCord Museum’s photography archives and as a photographer of Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal and the Eddy Toussaint Ballet Company. He then established himself taking creative pictures of major real estate projects and related PR events. He moved to Toronto before returning to Washington in the late nineties to care for his ailing mother and to establish a free-lance photography business in the area. He achieved recognition for his photographs and montages documenting the environmental reclamation of the Anacostia River. The Washington Post dubbed him the “DC River Man”. His works are in the permanent collections of the city of Washington, DC and Sandy Spring Museum in Maryland as well as the McCord Museum in Montreal. Also, a permanent installation at the George Washington House (circa the early 1700s), headquarters of the Anacostia Watershed Society. Currently, his images are on view as the inaugural artist for the 11th Street Bridge Park (will be the first aerial park over water, Anacostia River in the USA), as a public installation of six large-format photographs at the entrance tunnel to Anacostia Park.
Three celebration of life events are planned:
August 8th DC Commission of the Arts and Humanities, 200 I Street, SE, Washington, DC, 20003
LAY OF THE LAND: American Landscape, “Opening Reception: Bruce McNeil Tribute,” at 6:00 -8:00 pm.
September 1st Ayer’s Cliff in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada, at 4:00 to 8:00 pm.( For more information:lyrica@videotron.ca )