Janis Zalitis

The Society's newsletter ran a column, "Who's Who in Leather", profiling one member at a time. This instalment, by Kay Cloughley, is numbered 7. and was printed in Spring 1974, page 7. The page is set in two columns around a drawing.

“Janis Zalitis — was born in Latvia where he learned the basic leathercraft techniques. After he emigrated to Canada in 1951, he was able to attend some courses in design. These he put to good use by adapting the folk designs of his native land to be used in leather.” (Spring 1974, page 7.)

• Born in Latvia, where he learned the basic leathercraft techniques
• Emigrated to Canada in 1951 and took courses in design
• Joined the Toronto Branch; Associate 1959, Fellow of the Society 1962
• Adapted the folk designs of his native land to leather, cut with a few deft knife cuts
• Coloured his backgrounds with an atomizer or an air gun
• Gave the sterling silver pin that carries his name, the Zalitis Pin
• Also a woodcarver; sold leather and wood through craft shops in Canada and the U.S.A.

Toronto Branch, Associate and Fellow

“He joined the Toronto Branch C.S.C.L.. In 1959 he became an Associate and a Fellow of the Society in 1962.” Those two dates agree with the Society's own list of Associates and Fellows, which the archive holds separately, and with the Spring 1962 report of the Annual Meeting at which the Fellowships of that year were conferred.

“While he, himself, has not been able to take any formal instruction in leathercraft, he has endeavoured to pass on his knowledge to others. For several years he taught courses to youth and church groups, mainly at a camp near Burlington operated by fellow Latvians.”

Knife cuts and an air gun

“The unique patterns used to decorate his leather articles are executed with a few deft knife cuts. He is also noted for the distinctive use of dyes on the background. Either an atomizer or an air gun is used to apply and blend a variety of colours into a most subtle and pleasing effect. The colours are at all times used to highlight and enhance the pattern.”

Beside that paragraph the page prints a line drawing of a decorated book cover, captioned “Award Winner — C.N.E. Women's Div'n. 1971”. His 1971 C.N.E. Women's Division placings — a first in classes 217 and 220 and a second in 218 — are printed in the Winter 1971 newsletter.

The pin

“In recent years Janis has proven his interest in promoting leathercraft by donating a sterling silver pin (in the shape of our insignia) to the member who obtains the highest marks of those who try for their Associate standing. The pins are made by one of his Latvian friends.” This is the origin of the award, which this edition lists as the Zalitis Pin, after him. Eight years later Helen Wheaton, Chairman of the Council of Fellows, presented it to Gertrude Hilder “as an encouragement to members to try for Associate standing” (Summer 1982, page 9).

“Janis is also an accomplished woodcarver and when not creating articles of leather or wood for sale in craft shops in Canada and U.S.A. he enjoys hunting, fishing, and the outdoor life.”

Elsewhere in the archive

Zalitis competed steadily. The archive holds him taking a second prize for an album in Decorated Leather at the Canadian Handicrafts Guild competition at the C.N.E. in 1962, a second in Undecorated Leather in 1963, and Best Entry in Show — the F.W. Woolworth prize of $50 — in 1964. He was also one of the fifteen members who submitted articles to the Ontario Souvenir and Handcraft Competition of 1963.

A note on the spelling of the award. The newsletters print the pin “Zalitis” in Spring 1974, Summer 1982 and again in Summer 1997. The Society's modern awards documents spell it “Zelaitis”; this edition files the award as the Zalitis Pin, after the man who gave it. The man's own name is Zalitis everywhere the newsletters name him, including the heading of this profile. The discrepancy is the Society's own.

From the "Who's Who in Leather" column in Canadian Leathercraft, Spring 1974, page 7, by Kay Cloughley.