Let’s makE things that matter

For those of you who believe what I do: that we ought to create things that matter instead of things we throw away, and to those who want to add value to this world instead of noise, this website is for you.

When you first start leather working (or any creative endeavor), you make something and you get this feeling of “Woah, I did it!” You brought something to life, and it’s a really good feeling… even if this thing you’ve created is ugly and clumsy, and typically not your own. But something changes as you further your skill. Your skills, unique ideas, background, and identity all start to find their way into your work. It’s at this point that you’ve created something only you can put into this world. You’ve gone from just creating something to creating something that truly matters.

I want to help you get that first feeling of “Woah, I did it!” and then set you on a path to creating things that matter.

Getting you there is so important that I want to knock down any barrier that might stand in your way. That’s why I created a beginner’s guide and kit to get you started on the right foot. As you continue learning, there are blog posts with tips to perfect your skills, a store with tools that are going to make leather working easier for you.

About Me

For those of you who came here to read a little bit about me, instead of why I believe that Gold Bark Leather really matters, I’ll just say this:

In a time of my life where there were far too many uncertainties, leather working really grounded and helped balance out my life. Initially, I appreciated the certainty of something with a clear start and a clear finish, but later came to love it because it allowed me to make something that was uniquely me. I won’t be as dramatic to say “leather working saved my life!” but it sure made it better. That’s why I leatherwork.

When I was first learning leatherwork, I was really surprised with how difficult it was to find information about leather working, especially in the US. It’s definitely out there, but it’s scattered all over the place. Ultimately, most of what I learned early on was through digging through the leather working subreddit (thanks guys!). I started this website as a blog to gather leather working resources in one place. 

One last thing about me: I really love to cook and am on a quest for the best fish taco recipe. If you have one, let me know.

Let’s leatherwork,

Justin