Maxine Noel
Cultural Background: Santee Oglala Sioux, Manitoba
Nee au Manitoba de parents Sioux Santee Oglala, Maxine Noel passe lespremieres annee de sa vie dans la reserve de sa mere qu’elle quitte a I’agede six ans pour aller dans une ecole residentielle indienne. Elle est d’abord secretaire juridique, mais sa carriere passe bientot apres la peinture et Iedessin. C’est pendant un cours superieur de design qu’un de sesprofesseurs remarqua son penchant vers I’expression lineaire et I’encouragea a rendre Ie mouvement au moyen des formes et des lignes.Lecon qu’elle a fort bien retenue si I’on en juge par la plupart de sesoeuvres. Maxine a, depuis, fait son chemin et est passee maitre non seulement dans I’art de la peinture, du dessin, mais aussi dans la pratique de la serigraphie, de la gravure a I’eauforte et de la lithographic sur pierre. Elle se tourne depuis peu vers la reproduction d’oeuvres enpapier moule et en bronze coule.
Ses travaux soulevent un tres vif interet, ce qui lui permet de se consacrerentierement a la creation artistique.
Maxine Noel signe ses oeuvres de son nom sioux IOYAN MANI, ‘Celle qui va plus loin’.
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Maxine was born in the Canadian province of Manitoba of Santee Oglala Sioux parents. She spent her early childhood on her mother’s reserve but at the age of six she left to attend an Indian residential school. Maxine’s early career as a legal secretary was soon overshadowed by her preoccupation with painting and drawing. She took a course in advanced design where a teacher noticed Maxine’s tendency toward linear expression and encouraged her in the use of shape and line to suggest movement. She learned those lessons well as evidenced by much of her work today. Since those early days Maxine has mastered the skills of painting and drawing plus the processes of serigraphy, etching and stone lithography. Recently she has turned her talents to the creation of editions in cast paper and limited edition bronze castings.
Maxine has received excellent response to her work and is now able to devote herself full-time to the creation of art.
Maxine Noel signs her artwork with her Sioux name IOYAN MANI, which translates as ‘Walk Beyond’