Rob Regan

From the exhibition brochure for Leather 2013 — Creative Versatility, the Society’s show at the Woodstock Art Gallery, 12 January to 2 March 2013, for which each exhibitor supplied an artist statement, a biography and a note on every piece shown. Set out here as printed.

I became interested in leatherwork approximately 9 yrs ago and became a member of the CSCL 4 yrs ago in 2009, and a member of the executive board 3 yrs ago. While on the executive board I have held the position of 2nd vice president for 2 yrs before becoming 1st vice president last year. In addition to these two positions I have also taken on the role of librarian, and in 2011 I was part of a sub-committee focused on recruitment along with Tracy Howard (Membership Chair).

As a novice I received the Betty Heacock award for my western briefcase and have received several ribbons and the Weston trophy since. At the 2012 Annual I attained my Associate status.

The craftsman of these items has been an active member of the Canadian Society for Leathercraft (CSCL) for several years and has attained the skill level of Associate.

All phases of the construction of these items were done by hand including every stitch and polished edge.

All items Not for sale: to have a similar item custom made or to just make inquiries to: [email address removed]

The pieces shown at Leather 2013

Bridle Leather Saddle Bag. This item was intended to become in essence "hands free" luggage. While the item was inspired by the traditional saddlebag, it was enlarged to provide enough storage to be practical without being cumbersome. The saddlebags are constructed of a heavy gauge premium bridle leather; this was an intentional choice to construct a robust item that will stand up to even the roughest use.

Scout Canteen. This item is a traditional scout canteen that has been covered with leather and sculpted to fit the contours of the canteen underneath. This item was constructed using premium Belgian leather. The Canadian flag tooled into the front of the cover is intended to reflect the long history of the scouting movement in Canada.

Bowie Knife & Sheath. The sheath and knife were both part of this project and both were made by Robert Regan. The knife handle is hand made using leather discs and a deer antler crown for a seasonally shed antler; the handle is then sanded and polished to shape. The sheath is a frontier style and is designed to be worn on the left side and drawn across the body.

Leather Bottell. This item was made using centuries old techniques; the leather is sewn together then soaked in warm water. Once thoroughly saturated with water the bottell is stretched using sand that is packed inside.

Once the leather is dry it is saturated with paraffin wax; this process requires the wax to be heated to a liquid state and brushed onto the leather, which is heated to facilitate the absorption of the liquid wax. Once cool, the paraffin wax solidifies and hardens the leather; the inside is lined with food grade beeswax to keep the bottell sealed.

From the exhibition brochure for Leather 2013 — Creative Versatility, preserved in the Society’s archive. The brochure is the source for every word above; nothing has been added to it.