Indigenous Arts Initiative – Fabric Appliqué Bag Workshop

Offered by: Kansas Arts Commission |

Deadline/Expiration: November 14, 2025 —

Saturday, November 15 and Sunday, November 16

Time: 1-4 p.m. both days

Spencer Museum of Art Reception Room

About the Artist: Mona Cliff (Hanook-gah-neeh/Spottedcloud) is an enrolled member of the Gros Ventre tribe (A’aninin/Nakota Nations) of Ft. Belknap, MT. Cliff is multidisciplinary visual artist who explores contemporary Indigenous identity and culture through her use of traditional Native crafting methods such as seed bead embroidery and fabric appliqué. Beadwork and sewing have been a primary foundation of her artistic practice. Cliff acquired a BFA in Printmaking from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA. She currently lives with her husband, three children, and two dogs in Lawrence, Kansas.

Cliff is also a muralist and completed multiple mural projects since 2023, two in Lawrence, KS, two at Haskell Indian Nations University, and two in Topeka, KS. She is in the permanent collection of the Kansas City Museum in Kansas City, MO and completed commissions for the Kansas City Airport and the Spencer Museum of Art (Lawrence, KS). She has shown at the National Museum of Women in the Arts (Washington D.C.), Autry Museum of the American West (Los Angeles, CA), Mulvane Art Museum (Topeka, KS), Gallery-One (Ellensburg, WA), Salina Art Center (Salina, KS), Charlotte Street (Kansas City, MO), Beach Museum of Art (Manhattan, KS), Leedy Voulkos Art Center (Kansas City, MO), and has upcoming solo exhibitions at the University of Oklahoma (Norman, OK) and the University of Central Missouri (Warrensburg, MO).

Workshop Description: Mona Cliff (A’aninin/Nakota Nations) will lead a two-day fabric appliqué bag workshop. Participants will learn about fabric types, additional materials, bonding methods, and design basics to construct their own fabric appliqué bag. Mona Cliff will demonstrate how to sew the appliqué but sewing is not a requirement. Some fabric, stabilizers, irons, and sewing machines will be available. Participants are encouraged to bring their own fabric and supplies as needed based on their personal design preferences. A full list of available and recommended supplies will be emailed to participants in advance of the workshop.

Fill out the interest form linked below to register.
Learn more: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=AYGu3C3JDEi8Q8Z2HMzMWrjeiu0wmi5Br8LYyGe0WztUMjlBTFNBTFpTWkg4SjdGRTUwM04yR0hXVS4u
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