Maxine Noel

Maxine Noel - Ioyan Mani, Sioux Artist

Ioyan Mani - to walk beyond - is Maxine's Sioux name that reveals her gift. Maxine is Oglala Sioux, born on the Birdtail Reserve in Manitoba. The eldest of eleven children, she learned to draw among a loving family on a quiet reserve. In residential school she experienced the struggles of submersion of the native spirituality and culture, which brought her strength and enrichment. Maxine was appointed in 2019 as a member of the Order of Canada for her work as a visual artist and for encouraging and promoting creative expression in Indigenous communities.

A self-taught artist, Maxine is skilled in many media. She seeks through the use of fluid images, flowing lines and subtle colours, to present essential characteristics of the Native people: their sensibilities, generosity and loving nature. Maxine has received honours and accolades for her work with Native cultures, and she speaks around the country on art and on social issues, assisting in bridging the gap between Native and non-Native, young and old.

Maxine Noel is a celebrated Indigenous artist and advocate whose career spans law, community service, and the arts. After 15 years as a legal secretary in Toronto, Edmonton, and Northern Ontario, she dedicated herself to supporting Indigenous communities through leadership roles, including serving as interim director of the Ininew Friendship Centre and conducting research for the Ontario Native Council on Justice. 

Her artwork, first showcased at the Thompson Gallery in Toronto in 1980, has since been exhibited in prestigious galleries across Canada and internationally. A founding board member of the Canadian Native Arts Foundation (now the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation), Maxine has designed costumes and sets for nationally televised award shows and contributed to acclaimed productions like The REZ Sisters and In The Land of Spirits. Her art has been featured in major publications and used to raise awareness and funds for causes such as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.  Maxine’s contributions have earned her numerous honours, including the Order of Canada, Queen’s Jubilee Medal, Women 2016 in Arts, Culture and Heritage Award, and the City of Stratford Star Award. Through her art and advocacy, she continues to celebrate Indigenous culture, uplift communities, and promote respect for Mother Earth.

"Art is the purest and truest expression of an individual… in it are all manners of things one is not always able to express verbally."