JohnBarton Posted April 8, 2009 Report Posted April 8, 2009 (edited) Zhen Hai Lee has been with me almost two years. He started out doing contract work for me and I asked him if he wouldn't like to come to work full time. He came from a backwater city in China where he feared that he would be caught up working for that place's equivalent of the mafia. Being a tattoo artist as well as a leather worker he was doing tats for a lot of the local gangsters. He didn't tell me this because he doesn't talk about those things to his "boss" but he did tell my mother in law all about it and that he is very grateful to have been able to bring his family to a safer and secure environment. This is some of the work he does for himself to supplement the income he makes from me. Some of these pieces are sold for more than $200 in China to Chinese customers. Each one is completely hand made by him and his wife in their apartment. Today we had a talk and he wanted me to express to all of you here that he is very grateful that a site like this exists for him to learn from. Even though he can't read it we have translated a lot of the techniques and tutorials from LW for him. Together we are building some nice cue cases. By himself he is building some really nice leather goods. I hope you like them. If you want to browse yourself then check out his TaoBao website: http://shop34439126.taobao.com/ Edited April 8, 2009 by JohnBarton Quote Support Quality. We are all humans. Buy the best no matter where it's made. That way everyone lives in harmony. Nature knows no flags.
Members tonyc1 Posted April 8, 2009 Members Report Posted April 8, 2009 Is that Mao on the wallet, John? Tony. Quote
JohnBarton Posted April 8, 2009 Author Report Posted April 8, 2009 Is that Mao on the wallet, John?Tony. Yes it is. (I am fairly sure) Quote Support Quality. We are all humans. Buy the best no matter where it's made. That way everyone lives in harmony. Nature knows no flags.
Members Tina Posted April 8, 2009 Members Report Posted April 8, 2009 Nice work, I really like the wallet with the snake and the first one with the knife scrolls, sweet:-) Quote "He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands, and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands, and his head, and his heart, is An Artist" http://vildkorpens-laderlya.deviantart.com http://tupali.deviantart.com/
Members Kustom Posted April 8, 2009 Members Report Posted April 8, 2009 John, Very cool. Since he's a tattoo artist as well it would be great to see him make some tattoo art inspire leather things. Quote
Ambassador leatheroo Posted April 8, 2009 Ambassador Report Posted April 8, 2009 great work, i love seeing work from other countries. the snake skin work is my favorite...the piece here as well as the other pieces on his website Quote "]http://leatheroo.blogspot
JohnBarton Posted April 9, 2009 Author Report Posted April 9, 2009 John,Very cool. Since he's a tattoo artist as well it would be great to see him make some tattoo art inspire leather things. We did this case based on the customer's body art; Quote Support Quality. We are all humans. Buy the best no matter where it's made. That way everyone lives in harmony. Nature knows no flags.
Members Tina Posted April 9, 2009 Members Report Posted April 9, 2009 We did this case based on the customer's body art; I Love this one, must be one of the best I've seen. The design and the coloring is both very appealing Quote "He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands, and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands, and his head, and his heart, is An Artist" http://vildkorpens-laderlya.deviantart.com http://tupali.deviantart.com/
Members Kustom Posted April 9, 2009 Members Report Posted April 9, 2009 We did this case based on the customer's body art; That's what I'm talking about. Very cool and original. Quote
Members PANTHER Posted April 9, 2009 Members Report Posted April 9, 2009 John and Zhen That case is outstanding!! I think it is the best I have ever seen. Wonderful job. Panther Quote
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