In ancient ways every tool, every item of everyday use was cherished, not only because of the time and the skill spent in making it, but because each of, the few possessions of a primitive people was essential to survival. The maker imbued each tool with the honor and respect these things imparted to their lives. We often view these things as "art", yet they go far beyond decoration to a place where expression and spirit are linked.

The impact of an intimacy with nature gained through eleven years living in the Alaskan bush as a hunter-gatherer deeply influenced my work. Thrust fully into the rhythms of the natural world, I was able to observe the balance and timing of nature; the asymmetry yet utter perfection of beauty. Through total immersion in a spectacular but often very dangerous environment, I learned attunement. At a time when America was becoming fast-track, I was wholly dependent on my skills of observation and insight, discipline and completion.

Employing traditional materials and techniques, I create lamps and lighting that express a very elemental nature. The leather braiding, the rawhide, the beadwork - all borrow on tradition yet reach toward my own technique and expression, beyond the typical toward movement and grace.

I work with several highly qualified blacksmiths. Their shops turn out exceptional hand-forged items. They work with my design specs with room to find their own hand in the process.

The outcome, in the words of Paula Berg, owner of Paula Berg Design Associates, Scottsdale and Park City:

Lighting should be the jewels that light a space. Cloudbird's lamps definitely achieve this.