Want Classes

[Johanna]

Being your member, I would like to get a very important advise. My son Mr. Azeem Malik, is a brilliant Hand Carver and officiating the relevant wing in our company. I have got a distinctive Manufacturing House at my disposal, producing eminent Leather Products. Our site: www.theleatherartisan.com will briefly demonstrate our efforts giving beauteous shape to leather capturing the echo of tradition and blend it with the rhythm of modern times. I like him to gain advance knowledge and technique of carving, lacing, painting in Dye and Acrylic colors etc. There is no such institute or classes in Pakistan. Is there any possibility that he can attend regular classes for a certain period under your management, or otherwise he may learn this unique knowledge from any Master in this field, known to you. I will be grateful if you kindly let me know the classes, schedule, assorted courses along with its time duration, fee and other expenditures.

Regards,

Inam Ulhaq Malik

http://www.leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showuser=1077

[Johanna]

This is a problem...there are no classes or mentoring programs that I am aware of. 99% of us learned by trial and error, anything we could get our hands on to read, and/or at an agreeable person's elbow. We have no formal education in our trade, and the only standards set are the ones for individual associations, like the IFoLG. If you want to do ceramics, pottery, weaving, crocheting, oil painting and so on...there are classes. In the US, your best chances of getting some direct instruction is to bug a Tandy employee or join one of the guilds that really try to keep the craft alive and well. How does one learn how to be a saddlemaker? In Germany, I believe there is an apprentice program, similar to what other trades have. In the USA do you read some Al Stohlman books, rip up and redo a few saddles and hang out a shingle? In Al's day, you worked at a saddle shop doing all the grunt work until you interested someone enough to take you under their wing. Old timers were tight lipped about the business, and working in a shop of importance had a prestige. Most of the modern day saddle makers are independents, or supervise production work.

Verlane's classes are the only college classes I've heard of except the boot & saddle courses which were an experiment in Oklahoma? at a college and no, I son't remember the name. Late nineties? Am I ringing any bells? I can't remember the name of the school, but it seems to me the certification died out not for lack of interest, but for the high tuition fees. (Please someone correct me or fill in the blanks if you remember what I am referring to!)

But it is a problem. People are hungry for classes, but classes aren't profitable enough for most artists, and require significant amounts of travel. Leatherworkers are known for being a solitary sedentary lot, not wanting to haul around a portable shop, either. But the truth of the matter lies on the front page of this board. Look at all the categories and see the amount of posts, and compare it to "Youth Groups" which has 6. Think of all the youth group leaders who are Googling for youth group projects and ideas, and how much info they are going to find to give them the confidence to make wristbands or belts in Scouts, at camp, at church, in school, etc. If they don't feel sure, they can't request funds for a dozen mallets and 3-D stamps, alphabet sets and then the leather...think "kits" and there is a sizeable investment. The kids love the classes, and they make useful things, but if the leaders are afraid to try leather work, they will do paper crafts. If we don't get today's youth involved, more of our art will be lost.

Getting down now...

:soapbox:

Johanna

[abn]

Johanna,

I agree 100% with all the points you bring up in your post. And they're all reasons why Leatherworker.net is so important to the leathercraft community. In the absence of classes and other educational opportunities, this site is the next best thing.

Speaking of which, thanks to everyone who contributed recent tutorials. I know these take time and effort to create, and they're much appreciated!

-Alex

[ClayB]

Verlane's classes are the only college classes I've heard of except the boot & saddle courses which were an experiment in Oklahoma? at a college and no, I son't remember the name. Late nineties? Am I ringing any bells? I can't remember the name of the school, but it seems to me the certification died out not for lack of interest, but for the high tuition fees. (Please someone correct me or fill in the blanks if you remember what I am referring to!)

Unfortunately, Spokane Community College discontinued the class that Verlane was teaching a couple years ago.

There is still a school going in Oklahoma. From their website, http://www.bootandsaddle.net/

Green Country Technology Center

1100 North Loop 56, Okmulgee, OK 74447

Green Country Technology Center

"In August 2005 the Boot & Saddle Program at OSU Okmulgee was transferred to Green Country Technology Center at Okmulgee, Oklahoma. The next Boot and Saddle classes started in August, 2006 and are taking place in the newly completed Boot & Saddle building on the Green Country Technology Center Campus. "

I think I heard that now you have to take both the boot and saddlemaking classes if you enroll which seems silly. I have friend that runs a store in Bismarck, ND that took the saddle making class back in the 80's (I think) and her brother took the boot making classes. He is still making boots, but she got burned out making saddles. She still does repair work and does a lot of leather art pictures.

There are some good classes on specific subjects offered at the trade shows and the IFoLG show. I don't think any of the people that teach these classes are getting rich, but do it to pass on what they have learned. There seem to be more and more classes offered each year geared towards saddle making. If there are specific subjects you would like to learn, you need to let the people that run the shows know.

Clay

[MatthewD]

I just wish I knew some places closer to my neck of the country... I would love to be able to sit down in a class and watch someone then get to do it correctly.