Robert Mills, a lifelong resident of Southeast Alaska, is a Tlingit artist of the Tsaagweidí clan who works with both metal and wood. His art is deeply tied to the land of the Tlingit (the Lingít aaní) and the Tlingit culture which grew out of thousands of years of interaction with this darkly-forested, fjord-riven land. 
Robert’s art both celebrates ancient Tlingit traditions and builds upon them. Robert deeply believes in the grounding power of Tlingit thought and culture. Land and true human identity are synonymous to Robert. The Tlingit language itself is infused with this understanding and Robert is a steadfast supporter of the resuscitation of Tlingit language and the culture it formed. Robert’s art: decorative, functional and testimonial, is always grounded in this truth, this earth, this Tlingit aaní.