Melanie Tallmadge Sainz is an artist in several media, including basketry, quillwork, and beadwork. She is Ho-Chunk and grew up in Wisconsin Dells, where her parents Roger and Bernadine Tallmadge owned and operated the Winnebago Indian Museum for many years. After a long career as an educator and artist in Arizona, Melanie returned to Wisconsin Dells to found Little Eagle Arts Foundation, or LEAF, and Native Presence Gallery and Learning Center. Native Presence hosts exhibits and workshops that provide support for emerging artists and showcase authentic Native American art.
