Wali, as he was affectionately known, was born February 19, 1954 in Columbus, Ohio and was an Ohio mural and visual artist, singer extraordinaire, drummer, educator and citizen of the world.

His murals have been a part of the community landscape in Columbus, Cleveland, and Euclid, Ohio; Atlanta, Georgia; and St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.

He believed in the goodness of humanity, and was a lover of the African Diaspora. He taught art and music courses in the fishing villages of Ngor in Senegal, West Africa. He was also a consultant to Harambee II, Wholistic Stress Control Institute in Atlanta, Georgia.

His art has been seen at the King Art Complex in Columbus, Ohio; he worked as an artist-in-residence at the African American Museum, and was a participant artist in the Chalk Festival at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

He has shown his work at both Cleveland and Euclid City Halls and libraries.  Several of his murals can be found at the Shore Cultural Centre in Euclid, Ohio where he resided with his beloved wife, Denise Goodrich Neil.

Walt “Wali” Neil, age 66, took his Solar transition around the sun peacefully on Sunday, June 21, 2020, during the Summer Solstice after succumbing to cancer. 

He has joined the Ancestors in the cloud of witnesses and will continue to guide our paths. His Spirit lives on in his Art and the vibrations of his music are still moving out in the Cosmos!

One Love!!!!!!