The Indigenous Arts Initiative, which includes partners from the University of Kansas, will bring two distinguished Indigenous artists and educators to Lawrence this September for a series of free public workshops exploring art, culture, storytelling and filmmaking
The program features award-winning Lakota artist Rhonda Holy Bear and award-winning casting director Stacey Rice, offering community members opportunities to engage with leaders whose work is shaping contemporary Indigenous arts and media. All events are free and open to the public.
From Sept. 14 to 16, Holy Bear, an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, will lead a three-part workshop series at Haskell Tommaney Library. Through presentations and hands-on learning experiences, participants will explore the connections between Lakota philosophy and artistic expression while learning traditional techniques rooted in generations of cultural knowledge.
Holy Bear’s artistic practice includes sculptural figures, wood carving, porcupine quillwork, beadwork and painting. Drawing from Lakota history, culture and philosophy, her work creates meaningful connections between the past and present while elevating Indigenous storytelling and artistic traditions.
- Lakota Philosophy and Artistic Expression | 5:30-7:30 p.m. Sept. 14
- Lakota Moccasin Pattern Making | 5:30-7:30 p.m. Sept. 15
- Reclaiming Pahá Stitch: Restoring the Lakota Name for a Traditional Beadwork Technique | 5:30-7:30 p.m. Sept. 16.
Participants may attend individual workshops, though attendance at the first session is encouraged because it introduces foundational concepts for the series.
Holy Bear will give an artist talk at 11 a.m. Sept. 16 at the Spencer Museum of Art, where she will discuss her sculptural figures, her creative process and the artistic journey that shaped her work. Several of Holy Bear’s sculptural figures from the Spencer’s collection will be on view. The talk will also be livestreamed on the Spencer’s YouTube channel.
On Sept. 19, Rice will hold a Casting for TV & Film: Indigenous Perspectives workshop from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in 104 Tam-I-Nend Hall at Haskell Indian Nations University.
Rice, a Los Angeles-based casting director at Midthunder Casting, has worked in the <a href="https://comicvibe.com/flutter-entertainment-flut-faces-a-valuation-test-as-prediction-markets-draw-nfl-attention/” title=”Flutter Entertainment (FLUT) Faces A Valuation Test As Prediction Markets Draw NFL Attention”>entertainment industry for more than 14 years. Her casting career and personal background as the daughter of an enrolled Tuscarora have led her to specialize in Native American/Indigenous casting and work with Native directors including Sterlin Harjo, Sydney Freeland and Billy Luther. Her work includes “Reservation Dogs” and “Fancy Dance” as well as “Euphoria,” “The Leftovers” and “MaXXXine.” She is a member of the Casting Society of America and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
This interactive workshop will offer Indigenous talent a behind-the-scenes look at breaking into and working in the entertainment industry, where Rice will share her experiences navigating the field, including how to get started, build skills, find opportunities and sustain a career in entertainment. The discussion also will cover challenges faced by Indigenous and other underrepresented communities as well as strategies for self-advocacy while staying grounded in identity and values.
The Indigenous Arts Initiative supports a rotating series of Indigenous art labs that provide artists opportunities to develop creative skills, expand professional networks and gain leadership experience through collaborative, mentor-based programming. A partnership among the Kansas Arts Commission, KU Film & Media Studies, the Spencer Museum of Art and the Lied Center of Kansas, the initiative advances Indigenous artistic practice, community engagement and leadership development through workshops, mentorship and public programming.
Learn more about the Indigenous Arts Initiative and the workshops at the Kansas Commerce Indigenous Arts Initiative webpage or contact Sydney Pursel at sydneypursel@ku.edu.
