The Tree of Life collection takes its inspiration from the imagery that floats around classic storytelling. Whether the objects are seen individually or grouped, they evoke a sense of charm and fantasy. Drawing profoundly from Michael's background as a sculptor, each piece emerges from hand-sculpted clay and offers a child-like quality with an inherent depth of meaning. There is such power in narrative images for me. There is a feeling that we're creating an entire imaginary world, building designs around interactive themes that are familiar to all of us. The shapes are obvious and immediate and, at the same time, the impressionistic and lyrical way a small child might imagine the scenes in a story he's being told. The image of the Tree of Life is one of my favorites. It is an idea that is so widely expressed in all cultures and by all religions that it becomes a universal symbol of hope.