Featured Artist – Syd Ringheim

I grew up surrounded by creativity—my parents opened Forest Cow Leatherworks in Hayward in 1970, and our family traveled to fine art shows across the country—so working with leather has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I feel fortunate to be a second-generation artist and have a deep appreciation for things made by hand.

Leather fascinates me as a material—durable, versatile, and full of character. I’m drawn to the process of shaping it into something functional, thoughtfully designed, and made to last. Most of my work centers on soft leather handbags crafted from nude-finish cowhide, my favorite kind of leather for its natural feel and subtle imperfections. I like to incorporate hand details such as braiding, stitching, or hand tooling, but I focus on simple, clean lines that highlight the inherent beauty of the material. Each bag is original in design, cut by hand, and made one at a time. Many are one of a kind.

http://www.sydhandbags.com/