{"product_id":"kakasolas-ellen-neel-thunderbird-and-dzunukwa-totem-am0378","title":"Kakaso'Las Ellen Neel Thunderbird and Dzunukwa Totem","description":"Kakaso'Las Ellen Neel Thunderbird and Dzunukwa Totem pole.  Ḵaḵaso’las Ellen Neel (Kwakwaka’wakw, 1916-1966) was one of the first documented women to be a professional Northwest Coast carver. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNeel was also one of the mid-20th century artists who helped transform Northwest Coast art from a largely regional and anonymous ethnographic tourist industry into an internationally successful fine art market. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlthough she is perhaps most remembered for her role in making space for women in the Northwest Coast carving world, Neel was also an innovator in art production and marketing methods, being one of the earliest Northwest Coast artists to license her designs to be reproduced on everyday objects. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis model pole is a classic design of Neel’s and features a Thunderbird with spread wings over a Dzunukwa, the Wild Woman of the Woods. The Thunderbird features a painted human face on its chest and is adorned in an unusual blue paint alongside the classic black and red. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Dzunukwa is depicted in a seated position with her arms wrapped around her knees. A hairy, Sasquatch-like giantess, Dzunukwa is shown here totally covered in black hair, her lips pursed into a whistling shape, with her large feet and hands prominently displayed. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe pole is mounted to a beveled red cedar base and signed “ELLEN NEEL” on the verso.  12\"H overall, 10\"W wings, 3 1\/2\" x  3 1\/2\" base\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont color=\"#989898\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePERIOD: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/font\u003eEarly 20th Century\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont color=\"#989898\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eORIGIN: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/font\u003eNorthwest Coast - Alaskan, Native American\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont color=\"#989898\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSIZE:   \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e12\"H overall, 10\"W wings, 3 1\/2\" x  3 1\/2\" base\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ciscos","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48656064250106,"sku":"AM0378","price":1500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0571\/3405\/files\/AM0378-1.jpg?v=1779818995","url":"https:\/\/ciscosgallery.com\/products\/kakasolas-ellen-neel-thunderbird-and-dzunukwa-totem-am0378","provider":"Cisco's Gallery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}