Composed of three geometric cross-sectional slices of cherry wood, Prairie Confluence spans 17 feet. Each plank features exposed knots and rings and appears to be encased by raw bark, however, a closer look exposes a rich texture of intricately and beautifully arranged beadwork. The texture is created from beeswax, copal resin, and pine rosin and adorned with colorful seed beads, inspired by local artist Mona Cliff’s Native American heritage and organic influences of the region’s landscape, including skyscapes, waterways, and rolling hills.

Mona Cliff embraces her Native American identity and culture using indigenous crafting methods of seed bead embroidery and fabric applique with contemporary subject matters. She is an enrolled member of the Gros Ventre Tribe (A'aninin/Nakota Nations), is Frozen Clan (Aaniiih), and of the Medicine Bear Clan (Nakota) of Fort Belknap, Montana. With influence from her grandmother, Cliff says that her art “focuses on how traditional arts are passed down between generations of women,” and “pursues the concepts of generational knowledge while exploring other topics such as native futurism and identity.” Commonly used to craft gifts, beads are a traditional Native symbol of honor and respect. 

Dating back more than 10,000 years, the greater Kansas City area also has a rich Native American history. The Wichita, Kansa, Osage, and Pawnee Tribes are the most well known. Into the early 1800's, Lewis and Clark traveled the Missouri river and developed relationships with the Natives. One of their staple trade currencies were beads to show good faith, and in fact, one of their most popular, a white-dotted blue bead, was named after them.

Cliff is formally trained in Printmaking from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington and currently lives in Lawrence, Kansas. 

Denesha, Julie. Mona Cliff evokes the subtle beauty of Kansas hills and sunsets with millions of tiny beads, KCUR. October 14th, 2022. Accessed October 27th, 2023. https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2022-10-14/mona-cliff-evokes-the-subtle-beauty-of-kansas-hills-and-sunsets-with-millions-of-tiny-beads.

American Indian Culture, National Park Service. March 16th, 2022. Accessed October 27th, 2023. https://www.nps.gov/tapr/learn/historyculture/american-indian-culture.htm.

Mona Cliff - Spottedcloud Studio. Accessed October 27th, 2023. https://www.monacliff.com/.

Public Art: Prairie Confluence, Kansas City International Airport. Accessed October 27th, 2023. https://flykc.com/public-art.