I'm a cowboy boot maker; my work offers fresh ways to examine the art of the cowboy boot within the context of heritage and tradition. Using hand tools and vintage machinery, I create dialog through interplay of color, texture and technique, preserving tradition and interpreting vintage designs in contemporary and modern ways.
Cowboy boots are a bold expression of personality and each boot is commissioned by and created for a particular client. Once the design has been agreed upon I begin the month-long process of creating two individual boots, by hand, from measurements, inferences and flat pieces of leather. There are many steps in building boots and a tradition of methodology that result in both aesthetic and functional art. Both boots must be unified by technique, color, intent, and a very specific American history.
Butterflies, flowers and leaves were the original themes for cowboy boots and I look to this history for inspiration. I'm also influenced by classic country and bluegrass music and I name all of my boots after song titles from these genres.