2024 Quarterly Catalog Q2

After working at Seidel’s Saddlery for some time, my wife grew home sick and longed to be closer to family again. Eventually, I reluctantly agreed, and we decided to move back to the farm in Missouri. This was not an easy time for me and for the most part I had retired from full time saddle making. I did still run a part time shop, Lowe Stock Saddle Co., out of the old milk barn there on the farm, but it was not quite the same. I built a few saddles and did repair work, while also working full time for the Ash Grove School District. Which brings us to about 10 years ago at Springfield Leather Company in Springfield, MO. Talking with the owner, Kevin Hopkins, I asked how things were going and he gave me his world-famous response, “Busier than a gofer in soft dirt.” My reply to him was straight to the point, “You NEED my help.” To which he responded with, “When can you start!” October of 2013, I started at SLC and since that time, that is where I have been. There have been so many firsts in my career here, that I can’t begin to name them all. I began on the retail floor answering customers’ questions and doing leather tooling demonstrations. Kevin started having me join him in some video demonstrations, that he would put out on DVDs. Then that turned into me being in videos by myself for Liz, who was the retail manager, every week. She called them Doodles with Denny. Eventually I moved off of the retail floor and into the R&D Department with the head of R&D Clayton Bowman. Liz had also taken up a spot in R&D and now my Doodles with Denny were turned into tooling pattern packs that customers could purchase. This

consisted of various projects and products that still are sold on the shelves today., but I still had the urge to build saddles. I asked about having a saddle making class and I was met with a resounding YES! The only two drawbacks I could see at this time was it was going to have to take place on Saturdays, so the participants could travel in for the 13 eight-hour sessions, and it was going to happen in place of the leather tooling classes I wanted to teach too. This class was recorded, and the video still lives on YouTube as SLC’s most watched video. The saddle class was a great success and was one of the most fruitful experiences I have had. The saddle classes now are a thing of the past, but I do still teach leather carving classes every week at the store. I believe this has taught me as much as the teaching the students receive. Several area groups and leather guilds have asked for me to come teach leather tooling, and I jump at the chance to share what this leather career has given to me. I have gone to elementary schools with Liz and Jeff from SLC, and taught students how to do simple leather crafting projects and loved it. For the last couple years, I have found myself in a position I would have never dreamed of. Two live videos a week teaching whoever may tune in on three different stream platforms. Tony (SLC Digital Media Coordinator) and Liz talked me into this and I reluctantly said yes to being in front of four cameras at one time. What I thought would be the most nerve-wracking thing I could do, has turned into a HOOT! The viewers get to experience, not only the project education, but since they are live…they get to witness the fact that imperfection is a realty.

Mistakes happen in everyday crafters lives and they happen on live videos, so we get the chance to teach how to overcome your mistakes. In my life as a leather crafter, I have been fortunate enough to work at a job that I truly love and am able to share that passion with others. I’m especially grateful that I’ve gotten to work with so many great craftsmen and I’ve been able to write so many projects off my “Bucket List”. I could not ever dream of having spent my life any other way.

DENNY’S PICKS

Denny Lowe Basic 8 Stamp Set 144-81799

Barry King Round Maul 16oz

67-3

HOBLT

ABBHOS

3

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