Ken McNeil was born in Prince Rupert, BC in 1961. He is a Tahltan-Tlingit/Nisga'a and began working in the tradition of the Tahltan-Tlingit at the early age of 14. Ken was fortunate to have as his main teacher his uncle Dempsey Bob, a world renowned Master Artist, who was able to inspire as well as guide his young nephew in the concepts and intricacy of the Northwest coast art of their grandfathers.
Ken learned discipline, form and the need to ensure that the work was complete and "done right" before it was released to the ultimate owner. The need to finish well has been a trademark of Ken's since he took on the challenge to become a full-time artist in 1987. As a youth, Ken spend much of his time watching his uncle develop his now famous style. He learned from trying to duplicate and interpret the work Dempsey Bob was creating and to understand the stories that the pieces represented.
He has also been asked to create regalia and ceremonial objects for the Hereditary Chiefs in the Northwest. This is an important undertaking, and one which each carver accepts as an honour. Ken and Stan Bevan received their first major commission in 1989, when they were asked to create four individual crest poles for a housing project in Terrace, BC. This was an important event in their careers and provided them with the opportunity to showcase their talents to a very wide audience.
Ken did not make the transition to full-time carving until 1987. It was a huge leap to move from supplementing an income with occasional works, to leaving behind the guaranteed paycheque for the uncertainty of an artistic career. However, Ken has made the transition smoothly and has continued to develop a style and individualistic perspective that will be identified as his own for many years to come.
Additionally, Ken worked on the Kitselas Canyon Development from 2006 to 2011, where he developed long houses and carved 4 poles and 1 house front. Ken won the BC Aboriginal Achievement Award in 2013. He has been teaching at the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art since 2006.
Artistic training
Ken received his artistic training in a traditional fashion from his maternal uncle, Dempsey Bob. Ken asked for the opportunity to learn the art form and his uncle agreed to teach him on the understanding that Ken too, would be required to pass on his knowledge in the future. His maternal aunts have also taught him about the relationship of wood and the traditional Tahltan-Tlingit beadwork they are able to so exquisitely produce. Ken has studied and learned the Nisga'a style of his father's heritage and has shown his ability to produce exquisite carvings with equal ability in both Northwest styles.