THE STORY
BEHIND THE BIRDS OF PREY AWARDS Lisa Issenberg and Rob Westrich continue creating custom medals, bird prints for Birds of Prey winners Sleek, elegant, Colorado-sourced medals As a design student, Lisa Issenberg developed a close friendship with a Finnish woman who introduced her to Scandinavian design concepts — being in touch with nature, having a sense of minimalism and producing less waste. Working with metals to produce objects large and small, Issenberg kept her focus on melding nature into her welded designs, and never straying from the fundamentals she learned through her friend. “It’s an essence — less is more,” said Issenberg. 22
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She named her custom awards company Kiitella — a Finnish word that means “to thank, applaud or praise” — because it accurately describes her work. Based in Ridgway, Colorado, Issenberg produces the medals awarded to the World Cup ski racers each year who reach the podium at the Birds of Prey events. Sleek, elegant and made of materials primarily recycled and sourced in Colorado, the medals are a celebration of the design concepts Issenberg embraces. “The awards were the most satisfying,” she said of her work producing medals for athletic events, film and arts festivals, or other
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recognitions, all part of a larger portfolio that includes bear-proof trash containers for Telluride. “It’s fulfilling a need — creating a piece that both recognizes someone for their great accomplishments and creatively reflects the client’s branding.” Issenberg is unveiling a new design for the 2021 Birds of Prey medals. “It keeps what I do interesting and fun,” she said. It also seemed like the perfect time to make a shift, given the pandemic-forced twoyear break between events. “It makes sense to go fresh. The Birds of Prey logo is so cool.” That it is, as is the work of Kiitella.
