Jim Roe

Jim Roe

A resident of Traverse City since moving here with my parents in 1958, retirement has provided the opportunity to re-enter my hobby of working with leather. In what I call “Leather Art”, the canvas I work with is “Veg Tanned” leather. Tree bark and other natural tannins are used in the 1-3 month process of tanning this leather which is prized for both its beauty and workability.

A rawhide mallet and various small chisel-like tools are used to press and mold an image into the leather. Embossing the leather adds an additional dimension and leather stain and acrylic paint complete the process.

The creative process is a deeply meaningful experience and I feel a real inner connectedness to each piece created.