Mary Lovelace O'Neal, Abstract Painter and Civil Rights Activist, Dies at 84

Abstract mixed-media painter Mary Lovelace O'Neal, known for monumental canvases and inventive 'lampblack' works, died this past Sunday at age 84. Growing up in segregated Jackson, Mississippi, she was active in the Civil Rights Movement under the mentorship of Stokely Carmichael and Jacob Lawrence. Her practice was guided by the phrase 'I can mark.' The news was reported by Hyperallergic, which also featured a prior interview with her in the 'Beer With a Painter' series. Her death is a significant loss to the art world, where she was celebrated for her gestural abstractions and her role as an educator and activist.