Nel Witteman was born and raised in Zoeterwoude, the Netherlands. In 1978, she immigrated to the Okanagan Valley with her husband and two daughters and Kaleden, British Columbia became her new home.

Nel was educated for five years at an art college in her native Netherlands and through various workshops, both in the Netherlands and Canada. She has a subtle watercolour style and prefers to paint the exquisite landscapes of the beautiful Okanagan valley. Living in the Okanagan and working in her Kaleden studio overlooking Skaha lake has further inspired her to paint in the soft colours and delicate form for which she is now so well known. Nel is now working on a series of oil paintings. Most of her paintings are painted outside en plein-air, which creates a sense of sponteneity within her work.

Many of Nel Witteman's paintings hang in private collections in Canada, the United States, Australia and Europe.