Jim Denomie

Jim Denomie’s work rarely comes to auction. In U.S. auction records we track, only three of his works have sold since 2024: an original oil painting at $7,500, a drawing at $700, and an aquatint print at $650 (all hammer prices, before buyer’s premium). Most of his paintings sell through galleries or to museums, so when a work does reach the open market, scarcity works in the seller’s favor. Revere Auctions is based in St. Paul, in the artist’s home state, has sold his work at auction, and provides free auction estimates.

Who Was Jim Denomie?

Jim Denomie. Photo: Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Jim Denomie (1955–2022) was an Ojibwe painter and a member of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Born in Hayward, Wisconsin, he lived and worked in Minnesota for most of his life. His narrative paintings use humor and vivid color to retell the history of Native people in America, from the U.S.–Dakota War to his Standing Rock paintings of 2019. The McKnight Foundation named him its Distinguished Artist in 2019. The Walker Art Center holds nine of his works, and the Minneapolis Institute of Art presented a posthumous survey of his paintings in 2023–24. He died on March 1, 2022.

Jim Denomie Auction Results

All prices are hammer prices (before buyer’s premium), from U.S. auction records. These are the only three auction results we have tracked for the artist.

Three results are not a price guide. What they do show is the usual pattern for a contemporary painter: original oils bring the most, drawings and editioned prints considerably less. Because so little of his work has reached auction, a specific valuation depends on the individual piece. Send us photos and we will give you a current estimate at no charge.

What Drives Jim Denomie Values

Medium matters most: original oil paintings sit at the top of the market, followed by original drawings, then editioned prints. Size and subject matter count as well. His large satirical history paintings and the Standing Rock series are his best-known work, and paintings connected to museum exhibitions carry stronger provenance. His death in 2022, the Minneapolis Institute of Art survey that followed, and continued museum interest have all tightened supply. Almost none of his paintings have come to market since.

The Lyrical Artwork of Jim Denomie at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, 2023–24. Photo: Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Jim Denomie at Revere Auctions

Jim Denomie, Wizard of Oz Band Drawing (2019), sold for $700 by Revere Auctions

Revere Auctions sold Jim Denomie’s Wizard of Oz Band Drawing (2019) for $700 hammer in May 2025. We are a St. Paul auction house with a national bidder base, and the leading seller of work by Minnesota Native artists on the secondary market. We have sold more work by George Morrison, Denomie’s fellow Ojibwe painter from Minnesota, than any other auction house: more than 40 works totaling over $1 million, including his $450,000 auction record. Those are the collectors a Denomie consignment reaches.

How to Sell a Jim Denomie Painting

The strongest results for Jim Denomie’s work come at auction, where national and international collectors bid against each other. Revere Auctions offers free, no-obligation auction estimates: send photos and dimensions and our specialists respond with a current market valuation and a recommendation on how to sell. Consigned works are professionally photographed, cataloged, and marketed through our fine art auctions to a worldwide bidder base, and we regularly arrange shipping for consignors across the country. If you need a formal written valuation for insurance or estate purposes, our appraisal and valuation services team can help; you can also read more about how selling at auction works.

Selling other Minnesota or Native American art as well? See our guides to George Morrison and our fine art department, or read about our appraisal services.

Reviewed by the fine art specialists at Revere Auctions, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Jim Denomie: Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a Jim Denomie painting worth?

Very few of his works have sold at auction. Since 2024 the results are $7,500 hammer for an original oil, $700 for a drawing, and $650 for an aquatint print. Original paintings bring the most. Because results are so scarce, the reliable way to value a specific work is a free estimate from a specialist.

What is Jim Denomie’s auction record?

The highest auction price we have tracked is $7,500 hammer, for the signed oil painting “Pow Wow Singers,” sold at auction in January 2024.

Where can I sell a Jim Denomie painting?

Auction reaches both national collectors and his strong Minnesota following. Revere Auctions in St. Paul has sold his work and is the leading seller of Minnesota Native artists’ work on the secondary market, including more than 40 works by George Morrison and his $450,000 auction record. Send photos and dimensions and our specialists will respond with a free valuation and a recommendation.

Are Jim Denomie prints and drawings valuable?

His works on paper have sold at auction in the $650–$700 range (hammer). Original drawings and editioned prints sell for considerably less than his oil paintings, which are the high end of his market.

Is Jim Denomie’s work in museums?

Yes. The Walker Art Center holds nine of his works, and the Minneapolis Institute of Art presented a posthumous survey of his paintings in 2023–24. Museum interest of this kind supports long-term demand for his work.