I have recently finished my MFA thesis which explores the world of leather working and tailoring through the eyes of western wear. For this thesis I researched the history of leather working and how modern techniques are guiding the leather industry today. I then designed, patterned, and constructed a leather jacket and shotgun chaps inspired by western wear and wild flowers from my hometown in Texas. Throughout this thesis I learned an array of leather working and tailoring techniques and collaborated with Mrs. Patty Macdonnell - Smith, an embroidery artisan from St. Louis, Missouri.