Ellen Neel

Ellen Neel (1916–1966) was a Kwakwaka'wakw artist woodcarver and is the first woman known to have professionally carved totem poles. She came from Alert Bay, British Columbia, and her work is in public collections throughout the world.

Scholar Priya Helweg writes, "Until Ellen Neel emerged as a professional carver in the late 1920s no women are named as carvers in the literature." Neel inspired subsequent First Nation women, such as Freda Diesing (Haida) and Doreen Jensen (Gitksan), to take up carving.

Ellen May (née Newman) Neel (Potlatch name Kakaso'las) was born on November 14, 1916 in Alert Bay, British Columbia. Her parents were both mixed race and she was a member of the Kwakwaka'wakw tribe. Neel learned Northwest carving from her maternal grandfather, Charlie James, a noted totem carver and stepfather of the famed sculptor Mungo Martin. While attending St. Michael's residential school Charlie arduously taught Neel line work, old styles, stories and dedication. Her grandfather's education and her hard work led to Neel selling work by the age of 12.

In 1938 Neel married the well-liked roustabout and metal smith, Ted Neel. They moved to Vancouver, and together had seven children. Neel was a stay at home mom, but still completed a few carvings for friends. Then things changed dramatically after Ted suffered a severe stroke. They needed money and Ted no longer could fully support the family. They decided Neel's carving would become an official full-time business. Ted handled the business side of it while Neel designed, carved, and painted.

The family worked together eking out a subsistence, until Neel completed the Totemland Pole for the Totemland Society (a promotional group for Vancouver) which served as a financial breakthrough. As a speaker in 1948 at the Conference on Native Indian Affairs, Neel furthered her career and became an established artist. After the conference the Parks Board gave her a studio in Stanley Park where she established Totem Art Studios.

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