RIDGWAY, Colo. — A Colorado artist is the mastermind behind the sought-after 2021 X Games medals.
Lisa Issenberg of Ridgway is the founder and owner of Kiitellä, which is a metal-working studio that makes custom awards. Kiitellä means “to thank, applaud, praise” in Finnish.
Early on, Issenberg focused on metal-working at both a small and large scale. Her talent can be seen in a wide range of work, including her jewelry line called Rocky Mountain Charm, which is represented by Telluride Gallery of Fine Art.
Issenberg’s clients have been as diverse as Visa and The North Face, the American Alpine Club and US Ski & Snowboard. She’s even been commissioned to make bear-resistant trash and recycling receptacles for the town of Telluride.
She first got her start with X Games in 2020 when the artist working in the workshop below hers, John Billings, recommended her to X Games. You’ve probably seen some of his work too – Billings is the maker of the Grammy awards.
X Games was looking for a Colorado artist to make the medals and Issenberg said after Billings received a call, he instantly told ESPN executives to, "Give Lisa a call.”
This year, Issenberg was once again commissioned to make the 57 medals for the games.
To execute the design of the 2021 medals, Issenberg worked closely with Brian Kerr, the associate director of sports & competition for ESPN, who reviewed her sketches of various medal designs and fine-tuned some of the details to make the perfect awards.
This year’s design derived from one of the design sketches they chose not to use in 2020, but after some tweaks and adjustments it fit.
Issenberg said she loves making the awards for the X Games because she gets to create lively works of art that celebrate the “accomplishments, victories, humanity and philanthropy of others.”
“With each project, I consider the recipients, who they are and their accomplishments,” Issenberg said. “The X Games in Aspen is the biggest multi-discipline snow sports event of the year. Some of the best athletes in the world doing wild maneuvers. They’ve worked hard to get to the podium and medals should reflect the accomplishment.”
And she gave her all to each of the 57 medals.
“I enjoy working with my hands, physically working on each piece like it’s the most important piece and then letting them float away.”
Kiitellä also puts a big focus on sustainability. Each step in the process, from design to fabrication to delivery, uses minimal energy and material. The steel she uses is 90% recycled content. For plaques, she incorporates bamboo or locally-sourced reclaimed wood, some of which she said made its first appearance on a barn in the 1800s.
You can watch athletes wear her medals during the X Games starting Friday, Jan. 29 through Sunday, Jan. 31.
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