Anne Neely has given 38 years to persuading her Milton Academy students that beauty and truth, as embodied in artistic expression, is a powerful way to fi nd and to declare oneself. As she has grown—as a teacher, artist, mother, colleague and free spirit—so have her students. The evidence is the extraordinary work of her students. This includes the many Class IV students who never suspected they would fall in love with art until they did their first interpretive self-portrait with Ms. Neely; the Studio Art students who were proud to see their work on display for the first time; and her advanced painting students who learned that their teacher truly practices what she preaches. Anne has said, “Art is a place for movement, discovery and travel. My intention is to give my students a way to access their creative minds, to develop an idea, and to see it evolve.” She has been as devoted to her students as any teacher could be.
Anne affirms the time-honored Milton value that an artist practices her art. This has led her to one-person shows in Boston and New York; to art colonies on both sides of the Atlantic; and to personal heights, as American museums added work by Anne to their collections and national publications reviewed it. In recent years, she has acted on her desire to make her art count, as she explored a theme of preserving vast aquifers and the water on which all life depends. We may well ask, “Where will her artistic passion take her next?”
Anne has served as director of the Nesto Gallery twice, and the professional shows that she developed have motivated Milton students, secured a loyal following in the extended School community, and garnered media attention and impressive reviews. Anne has ensured that the gallery be a “teaching instrument,” provoking thought and joy in students, and generating good questions as much as answers.
In her words, “To approach a problem with a creative mind is the highest form of intellectual pursuit.” Anne Neely has acted with care, passion and creativity. She is a great teacher, an artistic explorer, and a bright, energetic spirit. We will miss her creative force at Milton Academy.
–Gordon Chase, Visual Arts Department Chair