Maxine Noel (Ioyan Mani) b. 1946
Title: “Dance of the Snowflakes”
Image Size: 19 1/2″ x 25 1/2″ (30 3/4″ x 36 3/4″ framed)
Edition: 66/100
Price: $845.00 CAD
A rare early 1980s low edition serigraph, signed and numbered in pencil by the artist. Beautifully presented in a contemporary gallery frame with double matting.
About the Work
“Dance of the Snowflakes” is a beautiful testament in the elegant, fluid linear style that has made Maxine Noel one of Canada’s most beloved Indigenous artists. Imbued with a soft palette of winter greys, slate blues, and delicate whites, the composition captures a solitary, stylized figure kneeling in a moment of pure spiritual motion. With upturned hands and flowing, wind-swept garments that mimic the organic currents of the air, the figure transforms winter’s chill into an expressive, rhythmic dance. Noel’s signature use of negative space and minimalist, sweeping lines brings a deep sense of serenity and movement to the subject, beautifully evoking the quiet harmony between humanity and the natural forces of the northern landscape.
Unlike the highly common commercial lithographs or art cards of Noel’s designs, this large-scale piece is an authentic hand-pulled serigraph from an exceptionally small, early production run capped at just 100 prints. The impressive physical scale and premium presentation make it a true investment piece for serious collectors of Canadian and First Nations fine art.
Artist Biography
Maxine Noel, signing her artwork with her Sioux name Ioyan Mani (“Walk Beyond”), is a celebrated Santee Oglala Sioux artist born in Manitoba in 1946. Raised on her mother’s reserve, she was sent to an Indian residential school at age six. Her early struggles were ultimately channeled into a profound visual voice dedicated to the strength, spirit, and resilience of Indigenous women and culture.
While initially working as a legal secretary, her inherent passion for drawing and painting quickly took precedence. She became a full-time artist in 1979 and held her first solo exhibition at Toronto’s Thompson Gallery in March 1980. She has since exhibited across the country, with her works featured in major museums and galleries throughout North America.
Noel mastered the labor-intensive silk-screening process, using the fluid lines of serigraphy to bridge traditional native spirituality with contemporary design. In addition to serigraphy—a fine art printing technique where mesh transfers ink onto a substrate around blocking stencils—she works with etching, lithography, and cast paper.
A tireless advocate for social justice, her contributions solidified her status as a foundational pillar of modern Indigenous art. She has collaborated significantly with the Native Women’s Association of Canada and remains involved with Native Earth Performing Arts, the Canadian Native Arts Foundation, and the Association for Native Development in the Performing and Visual Arts. Noel has also lectured at various institutions of higher learning, including the Ontario College of Art, the Saskatchewan School of Fine Arts, and the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. In recognition of her cultural and artistic impact, she was inducted into the Order of Canada in 2019.
Copyright of the artist and or the artist estate.
