Sadly Saw Very Few Traditional Leather Crafters At Two Large Art/craft Shows.

[Tallbald]

My loving wife and I attended two large craft shows last weekend. One, the largest, was in a convention center, while the other was under a circus-sized tent Both indoors, they were well planned and laid out. And very well attended by a variety of talented craftspeople in many media and receptive audience. I was saddened though that I saw a very few traditional leather crafters creating as I do, belts, holsters, and personal accessories. There were stunningly beautiful painted leather flowers and jewelry my wife and I admired.

I did get to talk with the one seen, wonderfully talented traditional leather crafter who I shared thoughts with for several minutes. We agreed that inexpensive, mass produced imported leather accessories seem to appeal to newer generations now. Unlike my laminated belts, his were single layer but of obvious high quality that appeal to concealed carrier types, and stylish renditions for those with an eye for high quality fashion. We both use USA leather, solid brass, nickeled brass and stainless hardware. Quality at an affordable price are his and my goal both. It's just seeming to me that us traditional leather crafters are sort of minimally represented in the arts and craft community. Am I missing something? Don.

[penguineer]

Just wondering where you draw the line between "traditional" and "modern" leatherwork?

Purely the use of colour or hard leather? Utilitarian items? Sheridan/western carving?

Cheers!

[JLSleather]

very few traditional leather crafters creating as I do, belts, holsters, and personal accessories. There were stunningly beautiful painted leather flowers and jewelry my wife and I admired.

...mass produced imported leather accessories seem to appeal...Quality at an affordable price are his and my goal ...

Well, much of it IS a generation thing. Everything is disposable. Why spend $400 on a lifetime belt, when you can get 8 pieces of -- something else - for the same money. Just pitch one when it wears out, and you'll always have a "new" one. If you have college kids, or are around them, it's even worse. The new phone, new tablet, new girlfriend, none of it permanent.. it's expected to last long enough until the new one comes out. Well, maybe the girlfriend thing is just me

Add to that, "crafts" has come to mean cute but often useless 'trinkets'. People often shop these shows (or attend rodeos, etc) and want to buy 'something'. They don't often care about quality or even that it lasts past next week -- just the fun of 'going to the show' and buying something.

BUT... it's at least in part due to "crafters" attitude as well. You watch - like at all - and you'll see 'crafters' who want a maximum price for a minimum of work -- apparently they should get paid for a SPEECH about "hand crafted". I don't mean one or two of them, either.

Now, I'm with you.. I like to see a good product at a good price. A piece of poo at a bargain price is no bargain. But if that 'crafter' is making things that are "okay-ish" and wanting premium price, then you can't blame the buyers for going with the "okay-ish" with a reasonable price. As I sometimes say, IF you can't TELL the difference, then why PAY the difference?

Take it a step further -- if all of your projects look pretty much the same, then why NOT manufacture them? Can't blame a guy for wanting a better price, or a better product, or both. I've seen leather folded over a couple times, stamped with some "maker mark" stitched and badly colored (it's not called streaked any more these days -- now it's "distressed" or "antiqued") and sold (a LOT) for $50+. Now, if a guy can spit those out of a machine at 10/hour, what's the difference? Buyer is getting the same thing. IF it's not BETTER, then "hand made" is pointless.

[rickdroid]

JLSleather wrote

As I sometimes say, IF you can't TELL the difference, then why PAY the difference?

I'm stealing that little bit of gold for my own use -- with your permission of course.

rick

[JLSleather]

YEAH.. please DO use it. Perhaps we can get a bit more quality leather work going around... and a bit less poo attached to a fancy story and pointless (droning) youtube video!

[Fowlingpiece]

I want to also use that phrase. I have said the same thing using many other garbled words many times. Yours is succinct and memorable.

[Tallbald]

Traditional and modern crafters both have wonderful skills I admire. I couldn't create the beautiful painted ear rings of leather that some of the crafters we saw made. "Traditional" leather crafters are to me us folks making belts, belt packs, dyed and finished but not painted items. Hey. We are all crafters. I'm just trying to break areas of concentration down into specific genres. I simply saw very few folks making belts, belt packs, dyed and finished but not painted items. I had hoped to network with others of similar interests. Don.

[penguineer]

Traditional and modern crafters both have wonderful skills I admire. I couldn't create the beautiful painted ear rings of leather that some of the crafters we saw made. "Traditional" leather crafters are to me us folks making belts, belt packs, dyed and finished but not painted items. Hey. We are all crafters. I'm just trying to break areas of concentration down into specific genres. I simply saw very few folks making belts, belt packs, dyed and finished but not painted items. I had hoped to network with others of similar interests. Don.

I think I get you - utilitarian and personal items based saddlery and an era where the use of leather was just the way things were done, handmade and long lasting........

Cheers!

Cheers!

[JLSleather]

Oh -- I like good looking projects. It should be attractive and appealing. But I buy things that DO something - and not just leather. If it doesn't DO anything, then it's useless and I won't have it around. You could ask [quite a few] old girlfriends

Rule around here.. I like it CLEAN. And if I have to move something more than twice to clean under it, and I didn't need it in between, then it's GONE.

Colorful or not colorful isn't really an issue to me, but if I ask "what does it do?" or "what is it for?" and the answer is 'to look at'... GONE.

Oh, and there are a few more descriptions that will get things "gone" but maybe not worth posting here