School Residencies

After finding out about the Chicago School of Shoemaking and Leather Arts from a friend in the leather tech certification program, I decided to reach out to see if they could help me with my goal to make leather boots and small goods. I came to the program with zero experience in leathercrafting, sewing, or most other skills needed for such a goal. Valerie and Sara helped organize classes so that they would be progressive with some overlap of technique, but not redundant. I took a total of six classes and had additional private instruction. Private instruction time focused on specific techniques or projects, which was helpful for my learning style and specific goals. I also picked up a lot of knowledge just from being in the space with other makers of different backgrounds. Following my time at CSOS, I began making small leather goods of solid enough quality to sell and am working on starting a small business. I’ve also been able to improve as a bootblack now that I have hands-on experience with making a pair of boots. My time in the residency program helped create a solid foundation for my work, and I’m super grateful for the experience!

Shaan – Boot Black, 2020-2021

I picked the program initially because I really wanted to learn how to make purses and design my own belt bag. But while I was here, I decided to take advantage of all the different classes they had to offer. One of the great things about the school is really doesn’t matter what your experience or your skill set is, they will accommodate you and you will improve and get really good at whatever you do.

Brenda – Bag Maker/Multimedia Artisan 2019