Gene Noland, a History of the Leather Craftsman

[Deno]

I’m starting this thread to honor the memory of a great Leather Craftsman. My name is Dennis Noland, and Gene (Geno) was my father. He pasted away on May 8^th, 2008. This will be an ongoing thread where I will be posting from time to time many of the works that he did. I will also try and give any history that I can on each one. Comments and questions are encouraged; please tell me your thoughts. If anyone has attempted or completed any of the works that he did for Tandy, please share your work and comments on them. I will also be posting many works that he did that many people do not know about and are one of a kind. They will not be in any particular order, just posting as I put things together. I want to thank everyone for the opportunity to share this with all, and for this forum allowing me to do so. My best to everyone, Dennis.

[King's X]

Man, I am really sorry for your lost. I have collected (or attempted to collect) a lot of your late father's work (patterns) off ebay, but I was unsure whether he was still alive. He was truly a great leather artist. I have an increasing passion for old western floral designs. There are few Dootle pages that I have collected and some that are your father's work. Please share his work here, I would love to see it. Also, on our guild website, we have published Ben Moody's Rules and we would be willing to share some of your father's pointers on there as well (with your family's permission). So please share any tips or other information. Since I am artisically challenged, I depend on artists like your father and many others here to provide me with design concepts.

Our guild also has a monthly newsletter that we would love the opportunity to highlight your father in an article with pictures...please share. More leather artisans need to know how your father had a part in shaping leathercraft.

PM me your contact information, and we can communicate further. I appreciate you posting this thread.

Best Regards!

[craftsman827]

Hi Dennis,

Sorry to here about your dad.

He was a great asset to our trade.

I use to love his " Craftool Corner " he wrote in every issue of , Make It With Leather

magazine. Beautiful projects! I couldn't wait for the next issue.

For you who don't remember " Make It With Leather", it was a magazine in the 1970's

devoted to leathercraft like the current "Leathercraftman & Saddlers Journal"....

Can't wait to see some of Geno's work...

One question Dennis, How old was dad when he passed ?

PS: He also use to entertain the troups over seas with his wife.

They did magic tricks etc. Am I correct, Dennis if I remember correct ??

[Deno]

Gene was an avid nature and wildlife enthusiast. Though he gave up hunting with a gun in the 60's, he still went out with his new weapon, the camera. He was a big supporter of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The original Training School for Game Wardens and officers was only 5 miles from our home in Brockway PA. All through the 60's and 70's he produced one of a kind Album Covers for each graduating class. These photos depict the front cover of the June 1979 Game News cover, which is a tooled and died portrait that he did, and an article about him and the Album Covers being held by the 17^th graduating class.

[Deno]

Thank you King's X. Sent you a PM. Craftsman827, he was only 75, and he did not go over sea's and entertain, not sure where you heard that, but he did play in a band when he was in the Marines in the early 50's. He played a Martin Guitar, which I still have.

[Deno]

Doodle Pages, OOOHH so many Doodle Pages he did. I and my brother Dan did a few ourselves. As I put things together over time, I will share some with you. Here is one set: Series 12B, pages 3,4,5,6, called Season's End. The first photo is of the pages that I just took. The second is a photo that he took of the original portrait that he did. There was a whole lot of Beveling going on in this one. Has anyone tried to do this one?

[Deno]

This one almost makes me cry. Through out the 60’s, Craftsman Magazine held a yearly contest for their Cover Art. Leather Craftsman from all over submitted their work for the contest. Gene was no different, submitting 4 to 6 works of art every year. Though in 1963 he did not win, the Editors of the magazine were impressed with this piece of work. Called “Winken, Blinken, and Nod” which ran as the cover of the May-June issue in 1964. The tracing pattern is on the inside cover. On page 3 they talk about Gene and have his picture, he was about 31 years old at the time. This one is very special to me because I still remember touching this when I was a kid. This is amazing because I would have been only 1-1/2 years old at the time.

[rdb]

Lately, I've run into a crowd doing a lot of black powder, both modern and old school. Guess whose book I've had to refer back too, this past week....

The picture of him on the back...he looks about 35 or so..can't be sure.

[Deno]

Yes he loved Black Powder. He made his own pistols and long rifles. If I can find our old Black Powder book I can nail down the year, he was probably about 40 at the time.

[Billy P]

Hey Craftsman827, the people you're thinking about, that traveled over to Vietnam and such were Ken and Roberta Griffin. Ken was a really good leather carver himself, and Roberta wrote a column for MIWL during the 70's. Billy P