He studied at the Massachusetts Normal School with George Bartlett in the early 1880s and in France at the Académie Colarossi in Paris between 1890-93. Jean Andre Rixens influenced him to a huge degree. Rixen particularly influenced the artist's still life painting.
He was a highly respected landscape and still life painter in Boston in the early 1900s. His prominence faded after his death, but the quality of his work has recently been gaining increasing recognition.
In 1901, Noyes taught during the summer in Annisquam, Massachusetts, and became an early teacher to Newell Convers Wyeth, father of Andrew Wyeth and grandfather to Jamie Wyeth. N.C Wyeth also studied with Noyes in 1921, saying "His color knowledge is superb and I think he will give me much help at this juncture".