Celebrating World Leather Day!

April 26th is World Leather Day

World Leather Day is a day created by the leather industry to celebrate leather and leather products and to focus on the sustainability of leather as a material.  Leather is actually a byproduct of the food industry.  According to the tanning industry if cattle skins were not tanned and used to make leather approximately 10 million metric tons of waste material would end up going to landfills annually.  Instead this material is used to make clothing, boots, gloves and some of the carved leather items that I make and sell here on my site.

 

Leather is one of the oldest man made products, having been made since before the dawn of human civilization.  Mankind’s earliest creations were probably leather clothing for protection and leather bags for carrying and storing things.  Like the teepee of the Plains Indians of North America early man probably developed their first housing from mobile leather structures.  We went on to develop leather armor, saddles and protective gloves and boots.  In many of these cases, leather is still a great choice in these applications despite the development of many modern synthetic fibers.

Leather has a beauty and durability that few other materials can match.  The carved leather items that I make are generally one of kind creations that are made specifically for that customer.  The artwork often represents something special about them or their family, and the finished product is intended to be a family heirloom that will be handed down from generation to generation.  Whether it’s a leather handbag or a family Bible cover it is made to be durable and to last while being used for the purpose it was designed for.  

Leather has that unique property that it can be carved, dyed and crafted into so many unique items.  Here on World Leather Day we are celebrating this amazing material and the wondrous and long lasting works of art we can create with it.  I am honored that I have a medium where I can create a functional work of art that will be used and cherished by people probably long after I’m gone.

Focusing on Your Work (as an Artist its Hard!)

I tend not to be the most organized person, as anyone who looks at my work bench would clearly see!  Despite appearances though I do have a good idea where most things are and what I should be working on.  

Hand tooling a flower in leather.
Process of carving a flower in leather.

However for creative people especially it can be hard to stay focused and motivated to work on a specific product or customer order.  On MANY occasions I’ve had trouble staying focused on a project that isn’t as exciting artistically as some of my past work, and it can make me easily distracted when another more enticing idea comes along.  It is very easy for me to get distracted by seeing other’s work on social media like Instagram and thinking “What a cool idea!”  

For artists and other creative people staying focused on tasks, especially if they are not a particularly creative task, can be hard because of the way our brain is wired.  If your right brain is more dominant, meaning you’re more used to flexing your creative muscles, you will naturally gravitate towards those skills versus more left brain tasks that are more logical and analytical. If you are working on something that isn’t particularly artistic or creative, it can be easy to be side tracked from something that you don’t enjoy.   Plus if you are like me, a good creative idea can jump in and disrupt whatever you are trying to concentrating on.

Focusing For Artists and Creatives

One of the easiest ways to fight this and stay on track is goal setting.  Having written goals and reviewing them daily is a key way I keep on track and get projects done.  When I’m struggling to move forward on a project, it’s usually because I’m not staying focused on my goals and I’m allowing myself to be distracted.  Focusing for artists and creatives can sometimes be a difficult task.  I’m as guilty as anyone else!  Look a squirrel!

There are important steps to goal setting.  First is knowing what you want to achieve.  You have to know where you want to go before you can start a trip.  Once you have a goal you have to have a plan.  This is your map on how you are going to get where you want to go.  Then Take Action!  It’s no good having a plan or a map unless start the trip to reach your goal.  If necessary break it down into smaller steps.  And once you reach your goal review how it turned out and if necessary renew your goals.

Goal setting and staying focused on your goals is not always the easiest thing for someone who is creative.  Let’s face it, the logical process of setting and focusing on goals isn’t always the strength of someone who is creative minded.  But if you are an artist or creative who is operating as a freelancer or in your own business it’s important to keep on track, meet your goals and finish your project so it can be delivered to your customer.  And in the end, shipping that project frees you up for your next creative project!  That can be a reward in itself.

Carved leather pendant with wire wrapped bezel.
Leather Floral Pendant