David Neel
David Neel has been creating art in the Kwakwaka’wakw style for over twenty years. His paintings, printmaking, carvings, and jewelry are all informed by his heritage, which includes several successful artists: Dave Neel Sr., his father; Ellen Neel, his grandmother; Mungo Martin, his great-great uncle; and Charlie James, his great-great-great grandfather. While many of his pieces are more contemporary in their material and design, Neel learned carving in the traditional style by his family and peers in his father’s village.
While Neel portrays meaningful stories and traditional values in all of his pieces, he says he finds jewelry the most impactful art form. He appreciates the fact that clients attach their own meaning to his jewelry and that it is used to mark important, personal events in people’s lives.
Neel has exhibited his work in many public institutions, including solo exhibitions at: the National Portrait Gallery of Canada; The Smithsonian Institution – NMAI; the Venice Biennale, and his work is represented in numerous public collections. His children are following in family legacy; studying art at the Emily Carr University and working with their father.
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Box of Light
David Neel
$125.00 CADSerigraph, Edition of 50
2018
Unframed
“In ancient times, Raven, the trickster, resolved to steal the sun from an old man who lived with his daughter far to the north. He transformed himself into a cedar sprig and fell into water which the girl drank, and the next day she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. The old man was happy to be a grandfather and spoiled the boy, who grew rapidly and was a toddler in just a few days.
He was allowed to play with everything, except an old cedar box. The precocious boy cried until the grandfather relented and let the boy play with it. Quickly he took it outside and immediately transformed into Raven, and flew away with it. But when he reached the clouds a gust of wind blew the box out of his mouth, and as it fell the lid opened, the sun escaped and floated up towards the sky world where it stayed, and it lit the world below.”
– David Neel
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Eagle Pendant
David Neel
$325.00 CADSterling silver, Engraved, Oxidized
Sterling silver Omero chain available separately.
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Killerwhale Pendant
David Neel
$300.00 CADSterling silver, Engraved, Oxidized
Sterling silver Omero chain available separately.
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Frog Pendant
David Neel
$325.00 CADSterling silver, Engraved, Oxidized
Sterling silver Omero chain available separately.
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Wolf Pendant
David Neel
$350.00 CADSterling silver, Engraved, Oxidized
Sterling silver Omero chain available separately.
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Hummingbird Pendant
David Neel
$300.00 CADSterling silver, Engraved, Oxidized
Sterling silver Omero chain available separately.
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Butterfly Pendant
David Neel
$325.00 CADSterling silver, Engraved, Oxidized
Sterling silver Omero chain available separately.
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Eagle Pendant
David Neel
$300.00 CADSterling silver, Engraved, Oxidized
Sterling silver Omero chain available separately.
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Eagle Pendant
David Neel
$350.00 CADSterling silver, Engraved, Oxidized
Sterling silver Omero chain available separately.
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Bukwus Mask
David Neel
Price upon requestRed Cedar wood, Acrylic paint
21 x 13.5 x 9″
(30 x 15 x 9″ including hair) -
Raven Transforming Pendant
David Neel
$1,200.00 CAD14K Yellow gold, Engraved
Oxidized18K Yellow gold Omero chain available separately.
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Hummingbird and Bear Box
David Neel
$300.00 CADSerigraph, Edition of 70
Unframed
“This design depicts the legend of a hummingbird, who, while out gathering flower nectar, encountered a bear. This bear was something of a bully and would not allow the hummingbird to get near the flowers. Hummingbird tried again and again but the bear blocked her every time. Frustrated, the hummingbird gathered some twigs and flew inside the bear’s nose and down into his stomach, where she used the twigs to start a fire and then flew back outside. With smoke wafting from his nose and mouth, the bear ran away into the forest and never bothered hummingbird again. This legend teaches us that even great obstacles can be overcome.
The design is in the shape of a cedar bentwood box, which was widely used by all the tribes on the Northwest Coast. They were used as storage containers, cooking vessels, and were stacked to serve as walls inside the big-house. The sides were made from a single red cedar plank that was “kerfed” so that it could be steam bent and would be water tight. The lid was often decorated with operculum shells that were inlaid in a pattern. The boxes were painted with elaborate designs that are the foundation of Northwest Coast Native “flat design”. David has extensively studied the work of the master artists who painted the early bentwood boxes, which has influenced his hand engraved jewelry, and inspired the design for this print.”
– David Neel
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