I'm a 2010 graduate of the United States Military Academy (West Point) and served 6 years in the Army. I've always loved to work with my hands and now that I'm no longer in the Army, I have the time to make things that will be personally special to the person that receives them.
I often get asked why spend so much energy and time making just one item. And I always answer by asking that person to name one thing they own that they will be able to pass on to a grandchild or a great-grandchild. It seems like everything we own these days has a shelf life and will become obsolete and get thrown away. I like thinking that when you take the time to put your heart into something, then that thing is a part of you that gets to be passed on to someone else.
I love working with leather because the materials themselves have an energy to them. Each piece is naturally unique and individually marked by the life that produced it, making each project a learning experience for me.
