Talent Tuesday - Part Two of Dad's Artwork - Leathercraft

I mentioned in a previous post that my dad was very artistic. His ability to draw was not the only talent he had. While he was in 1-W service in the early 50's he worked on a couple of different hobbies. He lived in Pueblo, Colorado, near the hospital where he worked.

I am not sure how he learned to do leatherwork or who taught him but he perfected his skills during the years in Colorado. He made purses, belts and billfolds. This photo was in the Pueblo paper.















We still have a few of the things he made  --  mostly things he made for mom [Phyl] or himself. But I don't think this beautiful purse has ever been used.

It is lined with turquoise suede.

He gave things to his family and his cousins and he sold things to people sometimes too. Often people would request something to be made and personalized. He also made a purse and put it in the hospital gift pool at Christmas one time. He talked about it in his letters to mom. 

Talent Tuesday -- The Artwork of Ken Schmidt, part 1 -- Childhood Drawings

My dad, Ken Schmidt, was gifted in many ways. He began drawing when he was very young. These were drawn in December of 1942 when he would have been 10 years old. You can see he was influenced by the news.

He also drew on a grain bin that he walked by on his way to school. Those drawings are a little difficult to see and harder still to photograph but they are still there all these years later.

And in high school he was well known for his art. He often drew sketches for posters and programs.

His yearbook lists a Class Prophecy as follows: "Ken Schmidt, who spent all his high school days down by the creek fishing, now finds himself a broken down artist drawing pictures for little children."

In later years, he would often sketch. He liked to sketch while on vacation. One year dad and mom went to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with my family and I. This is a sketch he made there.

Occasionally as I go through things, I come across a small sketch. It always brings a smile to my face as I remember Dad.