GrayHallidayJr

My latest belt.

Thanks! I really like the way those teeth turned out too. Wicked. I don't know if I can ever recreate them? Sometimes you just get a little lucky with stuff like that. I tried something new, using the lifter tool I have on the sides of the mouth and really like the way it turned out. It looks like it's grinding it's teeth.

Some other details on the backside and the strap paired with my Chet Atkins Country Gentleman.

Thanks everyone! Sofaspud, I sometimes feel like the Creature, like maybe we are distant relatives or something? So here's an interesting thing that happened... I attended an investors dinner party a few weeks back. I got to talking to this guy and I ask him if he walks his dog down a certain street, as I think I recognize him. He asks where I live and I tell him. "No kidding," he says, then proceeds to tell me that he owns the house on the row of houses above me. "You know the previous owner committed suicide in your garage, right? Right at the work station. He dropped his wife off at pilates, and did it in the garage. I'm part of the sheriff's posse. It took us a week to clean it up." Before spending most of my time in the garage, at the work station, I used to draw butterflies and baby bunnies.

The latest effort out of the Gray Halliday, Jr. House of Custom.

Thank you, everyone, for such generous encouragement. Like many here, I'm totally geeking out over leatherwork and am really enjoying the exploration/learning process involved. I'm often humbled by a social media feed that has links to some of those guys in Asia or Sergey Neskromniy's work. then all of those TCA artists (that guy Bean or a few other guys- I forgot their names). I don't think that I'll ever achieve their technical skill level. My artistic and technical style will always be Fast and Loose. And a little bit irreverently obnoxious. Threw an old frame from 1924 on this thing and it looks nice!

Thank you, Sofaspud! I appreciate it. Thank you! It's a nice feeling when Mona Lisa's eyes are following you around the room. On the other hand, it loosens my stool when a creepy bandito's (fingering a trigger attached to an elongated barrel) eyes are following me. Stool loosening, it's just the effect I'm going for as an artist. In that way, I'm like the Yoko Ono of cowboy art. Thank you! I've always been into trying to capture facial expressions. Art snobs poo-poo Norman Rockwell, but I absolutely love how he captured human emotion expressed in the face. It's a challenge for any artist. I sometimes do cowboy characters with the face of the intended recipient in the leather work on my belts or guitar straps. Sometimes the faces are just random drifters or banditos, faces I see down at the saddlery or who have crossed my path through the years. It will take me about six times before I remember a name, but I can draw a face I haven't seen for 15 years from memory. My results will always be a bit cartoon-like in style, but it captures an essence of character.

For the Russian Cowboy! I like it.

Excellent!

Yeah, that's solid. Nice work.

I spent 8 summers in Berkeley and got to know that era's art really well. I have a small collection of that Family Dog style stuff. Stanley Mouse and Rick Griffin are my favorites. Big influences, definitely. But Freak Brothers was from a Texas guy, if memory serves. I spent a year in Austin once too. Thanks, Bodean! I'm really excited about it, I'm a fan of the Foo Fighters. There was definitely some pressure (from myself) to create something special. I typically don't have the words, "Don't screw it up. Don't screw it up. Don't screw it up." ringing in my head so much. So much. I got an invite to present it in person, which is pretty cool. It's a big honor. I'm really humbled by it. Honestly, I think most top musicians would love a guitar strap that you made. The hard part is getting it in front of them and making that connection. I'm lucky, I guess. And modest. Until I start flexing. Haha.

Thanks on the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers compliment! The 3rd leather project I ever did was a Freak Bros belt, almost three years ago.

Commissioned piece for a prominent band's guitarist. Video here:

I ended up liking The Bird so much I finished it out a bit, still leaving it real rough.

Funny thread! So many funny comments. Haha.

Thank you! I think anyone of us can confirm that "the process" of leatherwork brings satisfaction, regardless of the project's outcome (good or bad). Those waves of pride (as we are sometimes pleased with our own work) and despair (you know what I'm talking about) make it such an interesting hobby/career pursuit. That ability to improve is so rewarding, no matter what skill level we are. Sometimes you just have to flip the bird to those moments of frustration and despair, and keep carving!

Haha! I carved the lynched cowboy before carving into the face. Just messing around with scrap. But yes, it turned out as a hung cowboy hearing aid. Ha. Thank you. As you know, we're all trying to improve. Having fun. Thanks again! Thank you!

Are you talking about the White Lightning piece? You're right, rotating the tool would change it up. I was just messing around with this scrap to try out the new hide. But the pebble grounder is a fairly new purchase that I don't have much experience with. It's a great suggestion! Thank you.

First try on the new new Wickett & Craig hide. I'm immediately spoiled. How can I ever go back? Thank you for the recommendation, BikerMutt!

Yes, that is a rabid squirrel. My new hide from Wickett & Craig arrived! Pricey after all is said and done. Beautiful leather. Can't wait to try out something other than the cheapest Tandy hides- you can really see the marks on this piece of saddle skirting, especially on the fiddle player and double bass. This one is part of my Urinal Series, Low Down Honky Tonk Blues.

Super well done.

"Don't shoot your snake," is just fun to say.

My latest called, "Tangled Tumbleweeds."

Here are some other recent projects. I don't want to post multiple threads on the message boards here, especially for a keychain or something small. The medallion is made from brass plumber chain, the stuff that goes in the toilet. That's James Trussart in his guitar studio, with a pick guard and guitar strap that I did a while back. He's making guitars for Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Billy Gibbons, James Hetfield, Lucinda Williams, you name a famous guitarist and they've played one of James' guitars. Cool guy. And I made a couple of keychains for Mick Fleetwood's daughter. I'm now working on a strap for the guitarist from Foo Fighters (not Dave Grohl).