The Crispin Colloquy

Martha.....can't you see them? I guess the table is in the way. Dee-Dubb wanted to sit by me because he said my legs were perty, but that was after two glasses.

What about some darn pictures? Didn't anyone have a camera? Someone needs to posts some pictures! Lance......where are you?

das wrote:What? No kilts?

We 'kilt" some special, not for export, Bunnahabhain before we went to dinner. Does that count?

Unfortunately I did not get the best pictures this year, but here are a selection of people presenting. I will add more over the next few days...and darn even maybe some from last year that I just this year realized I never posted.

We had a short AGM meeting that unfortunately my camera shied away from Dan, resulting in only a blurry picture. I really needed a better flash for my camera.

Dan asked Kathleen to give us an intro to the meeting. Along with the other organizers Kathleen had worked hard in setting up a wonderful event as well as a Leather Footwear Futures Symposium that occurred at the school prior to our meeting. More to come on the wonderful school.



Terry

Then my luck with the dark auditorium continued and I did not get a useable picture of Edward. I did however get a nice picture of one of his presentation charts that made me want to wear silk; this is where Edward lets me know it was not really silk being warn on top of the boot.

Like in previous meetings he provided an interesting discussion and some very stunning pictures.

Hey Terry,

Thanks for sharing! Look forward to seeing the rest of them.

Take care!

Next up was Lisa. I do have a few better pictures of Lisa, but I absolutely love this boot (well all the others as well). Lisa displayed a wonderful progression of images showing how color and slight modifications could transform the same design; all those design students should have been taking notes.

Doesn't Lisa look casual up there.

The next presentation was performed by Al who was "channeling" June. For all those who are not born to the English language, what I am saying is that June was not able to attend so Al was presenting for June. Channeling being both a term for a psychic medium reaching out to a spirit and it fit as part of a shoe term as well.

There was an interesting picture of an Albrecht Durer shoe design. Yes the German painter. I personally have always enjoyed his art and now I am going to have to do some research. Any Germans out there?

Next we had Daphne presenting on sculpting platform soles. I had not thought much on making platform shoes, but I liked the description of covering the resulting platforms in leather- makes sense but I have not thought about it. I do like the variety we had.

It is hard to tell from this picture, but during this whole presentation Daphne had a great smile like she was absolutely enjoying the day. It was beautiful in Providence.

Then there was Val presenting on a Jack boot construction. Thanks very much Val; this made me want to run out and make a pair. I need to start ordering leather from England. I definitely have some questions and did you say something about measurements I might hit you up with some questions on the Colonial Williamsburg facebook site....sure would be nice if the info could be posted at both locations (here and the CW site).

This is not the best picture I had of Val but I could not resist having the burning boot picture. This is taking the art of shoemaking to a whole different required floorspace for the workshop. For those who were not here he was melting in was...Val needs to describe

And yet another history related presentation by Shaun. I found it interesting that he was having to develop entire new styles for different years of Fort Ticonderoga's occupation. I also found a particular moccasin picture to remind me very much of a more modern day moccasin; a picture to come on this at a future date.

A small side trip. What do you get when you ask a few historical shoemakers to pose for a picture

Diane then provided a hands on presentation on leather from the a consortium in Italy. I thought this picture was interesting since her hand is being held up just like the consortium symbol; pure luck on my part catching this image.

Diane provided an introduction on the consortium and then translated a presentation from Massimo on the different leather tanning processes. What was nice to see a progression of small changes to the tanning process and the effects on the results. Including the effects of three different tannin sources/mixes and the effects on a sole leather. All very educational.

Here's a picture of Massimo and the leather on stage. By the way, Al gets the prize for determining the translation for Cod Oil.

Then Anne provided a presentation on collaborating between makers to achieve even better artistic designs. I particularly liked the "Urban Girl With Spork" shoe design; I am not sure the sport is useable though.

An AGM is not complete without looking at shoes and the RISD Museum had a selection for us to look at ....more pictures to come in the future. I really did like there approach to providing a wide selection of designs and allowing students to see the spectrum of design decisions over the years as part of there studies. A nice application of historical shoes along with making them visible to the public.

The next picture is of Rick getting set up for his presentation with help from Miriam. I had to show this to take a moment to thank Miriam for all the hard work she put in setting up the meeting. Also a hearty thanks to the others who helped as well. A very enjoyable weekend.

As I head off to bed I will leave you with one final image. The mad scientist of shoemaking. Rick with an informative talk on the Chemistry of shoemaking supplies. Who would have thought shoemakers would have been looking at carbon chains and going; so that's why...

Ah, one more that I forgot to hit the submit button on. Marcell joined us and I wanted to say thanks to him in answering a question on how to use a recent purchase (6 months) of a Junker and Ruh Channeler. I find these meetings wonderful since if you want to know something there is likely to be someone present who will know. Our craft often uses many tools without any manuals available.

Marcell's presentation had a good discussion of our role in this age to preserve the craft. Something I know this site is dedicated to. He also had some thoughts on instructors, which I've had a few thoughts on since myself and I will open up a separate chat on. All this was very thought provoking and required some time over a Guinness.

Thanks again and good night to all.

GOOD JOB Terry! Thank You!

Thank you Terry. Thanks for taking the time not only to take the photographs but to share them with those who couldn't make it. It's admirable...it's in the heart.

Thanks Terry! Keep 'em coming laddie.

Returning home from the HCC Annual General Meeting is always a bit like leaving Brigadoon. Many thanks to all who helped bring the fellowship together for our 30th Annual General Meeting this past weekend. After all these years, we are fortunate to continue to bring together people from all walks of the trade – preserving the history and traditions of the trade.

I want to thank especially Kathleen Grevers of Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), her colleague Kevin Proft, and all the RISD community for their gracious hospitality and cooperation in presenting our collaborative meeting as part of the RISD Leather-Footwear-Futures Symposium.

From October 22 – October 26, 2014, RISD’s Division of Architecture+Design included artisan workshops, international presenters, bespoke shoe exhibits, and local, national, and international craftsman engaging new processes, historical traditions, and innovative materials related to footwear.

Workshops included the Vegetable Tanned Leather Consortium of Tuscany, Italy and S.L.E.M. of Waalwick, Netherlands, and artisans demonstrating traditional and experimental leatherworking methods, dying and crafting techniques, and groundbreaking research of new materials.

“Craft the Leather,” a traveling collection of leatherworks, was on display throughout RISD’s campus, and selections from, “In These Shoes, Bespoke Footwear in America,” including RISD grad Daphne Board’s handcrafted shoes, and shoes from RISD’s own shoemaking program were also on display.

Special thanks to RISD Interim President Rosanne Somerson for hosting the annual ‘Feasting and Drinking’ on Friday evening in her home – a welcoming and elegant event complete with celebratory cake in the shape of shoemaking tools and lasts.

And I want to thank each of our presenters and our program coordinators Al Saguto, Marc Carlson and Kathleen Grevers for coordinating a wonderful program including a wide array of topics featuring various aspects of the trade:

Edward Maeder, Costume & Textile Consultant, former Curator of Costumes and Textiles at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, founding director of the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto – The Private Life of Shoes, showcasing shoes throughout history and the modern day, from around the world, epitomizing creativity and design.

Lisa Sorrell, Artist & Bootmaker, HCC Board Member – The Evolution of Design: Leather Inlay and Overlay, demonstrating the development and variability of artistic design in elegant cowboy boots for women and men.

June Swann M.B.E., Assistant and then Keeper of the Boot and Shoe Collection, Northampton Museum (England) 1950-1988. Since then: Consultant, History of Shoes and Shoemaking – Shoemaking through the Ages, read by D.A. Saguto, Master Boot & Shoemaker, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, examined the history of the trade from ancient Greece through the rise the industrial West, to the modern day.

Marcell Mrsan, Accredited Master Shoemaker, owner and maker of Koronya Handmade Shoes and Boots, Professor at SCAD The Renaissance of Handmade – Exploring the future scenarios of our craft, our advantages vs. the factory work, what is our role in this age to preserve the craft, enjoining shoemakers to celebrate a tradition of excellence and unite in preserving their skills and heritage.

Daphne Board, Custom Handmade Shoes & Boots – Sculpting Platform Soles: Aesthetics and Biomechanics, creating fashion-forward shoes that are both wearable and beautiful.

Val Povinelli, Journeyman Shoemaker, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation – Jack-boots Once the Property of Thomas Lord Fairfax – Research into and Recreation of his Boots, for the first time in nearly 200 years recreating the process of making a jack-boot (with great fire pictures).

Shaun A. Pekar, Artificer Shoemaker, Fort Ticonderoga – Walking Through Time, The continued development of a shoemaking program at Fort Ticonderoga, presenting the challenges encountered by recreating various ethnographic footwear including English, French, Native American styles and forms used by soldiers garrisoned at Fort Ticonderoga.

Diane Becker and Massimo Boldrini – Introducing the Consorzio Vera Pelle Italiana Conciata al Vegetale, Tuscan Veg-tanned Leather, the Tuscan Leather District, outlined the vegetable tanning process and its sustainability in sourcing and producing veg-tanned leather, and the standards of quality guaranteed by its trademark, as well as the project Craft the Leather, collections created by young designer/makers from ten international design institutes.

Anne Marika Verploegh Chasse, Brooklyn Bespoke –Inspiration/Collaboration, explored artisans, designers and makers collaborating to create unique artisanal products – and succeeding – in the age of mass production.

Kate Irvin, Curator, Department of Costume and Textiles, Rhode Island School of Design – Viewing and Discussion of the Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art Shoe Collection, presented a personal tour of the RISD shoe collection, featuring selected examples from the 1740’s through the 20th century.

Rick Roman, Romango Shoes, HCC Board Member – Some Practical Chemistry for Shoemakers, offered a chemist’s view of solvents, fats, greases, waxes, and other important compounds commonly encountered in shoemaking applications and their relative toxicities and novel solutions on down-draft hoods for safely using solvent-based cements.

The Genuine Italian Vegetable-Tanned Leather Consortium – Craft the Leather: Presentation and Hands-On Workshop with Diane Becker, Barbara Mannucci, and Stefano Parrini, Tuscan Master Craftsman specializing in Veg-tanned leather, Maestro of Leather goods designated by Samsung, offered an opportunity to explore traditional and experimental leatherworking methods, dying and crafting techniques.

Thanks again to all those who attended, presented, and helped to make the weekend a memorable, inspiring and very educational event.

Dan Freeman...President–The Honourable Cordwainers’ Company

I mentioned the shoe design by Albrecht Durer; thanks June for pointing this out in your presentation.

Here is web page that has a picture of it and a second shoe just in case the picture was not enough

http://medieval-illumination.blogspot.c ... shoes.html

Terry

Happy St. Crispin's Day To all HCC'ers.

"Trowl the bowl, the jolly nut-brown bowl,
And here, kind mate, to thee;
Let's sing a dirge for Saint Hugh's soul, and down it merrily."

Happy St. Crispin's Day.

Slainte mhor!

Dee-Dub,

I hear ya! I've already started! Have a good one!

Take care!

Jake