The Painted Bird was established in 1987 by Carol Bawden, a designer/craftsman who received an early appreciation for fine craft and design as a student at Cranbrook's secondary school for girls.

Her interest gained strength through college and early clothing design work for San Fransisco Bay area boutiques as well as The Banana Republic.

After moving to Northern Michigan's beautiful Leelanau Peninsula in early eighties, Carol found it an ideal environment to pursue design and production of her own work.

Now she focuses entirely on selling the work of many other talented artists to a wide and happy customer base.