Melanie Sainz

Melanie Tallmadge Sainz (Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin) is a visual artist, cultural arts presenter, curator, and has worked as an cultural arts educator in both public and private schools for over 30 years. As an artist who enjoys teaching art, Melanie strives to educate students about appreciating art through the lens of the art maker. Her artwork has been shown in exhibitions throughout the US and Japan, and she has won awards at prestigious art markets including the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis, the Southern Highland Craft Guild, Folk Art Center in Asheville, SC, the Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, WI, and the Heard Museum in Phoenix, AZ. Melanie is the Founding Director of Little Eagle Arts Foundation (LEAF), a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the arts and culture of Native people of the Western Great Lakes through providing quality cultural arts education programming and Native art market events.