I have been tooling leather since my high school art classes. Had to go to college...found a nice little junior college that kept me safe from the draft!! I found I enjoyed the art classes, talked to counselors there, and went on to Western Illinois University and obtained a BS in Art Education. I taught for 11 years in the VIT Schools in Table Grove, IL. Got married, and was having a good life.
Along came the great recession of 1982..............
Teachers were getting "RIF'd" right and left. I was included. So, thanks to my wife, an RN, we stayed fairly solvent, and I hunted around for a job. I had no other training, except art. I started fooling around with some leather, and carved out some pictures of barns and framed them.
A local mall was having a craft show. We felt we were onto something good here, so we took in a couple of pieces to show the promoter. The rest is history. So long ago, and still doing leather.
I've "retired" from doing art shows, but still do custom work. Mostly that is of classic cars and diners, occasionally someone's house, or vintage tractor.
I plan to keep posting photos of my work...I have several pieces left from the show days. And I will post those custom orders as they come in.
