Noel Herkes Tekai

Noel Herkes Tekai acknowledges her own intuition and dream space as a source of storytelling that informs her textiles, puppetry, drawing, performance, sculpture and photography/film. Her practice approach is an ongoing process of balancing self-discipline and deep rest, integral to her healing and ability to maintain her art practice during her battle with cancer.  

The succession of handwork skills as spiritual and cultural preservation is a traditional practice upheld by Noel’s family in their indigenous culture. As a predominantly self-taught artist, Noel considers herself fortunate to have wildly creative and supportive parents. 

Noel focuses on the significance of presenting and preserving Indigenous-American styles and traditions, creating works that amplify indigenous symbolism and cultural visibility. 

“The thing that keeps me going, honestly, is that there is maybe someone out there, another very marginalised person like myself, looking for pathways and somehow what I do will help.”