Have you ever heard the saying, "If you can't find an open door, look for a window"? That's exactly what happened with my leather art journey in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

For years, I'd tried to get my work into a gallery there. The doors kept closing. Then, last October, a friend suggested I simply walk into a hat shop and show them what I could do. So I popped into J.W. Bennett Hat Shop and showed Courtney, one of the staff, a sample piece. She loved it and asked if she could show her boss, Sarah.

A few emails and a Zoom call later, something I'd prayed about for years finally happened: in January, I sent my first shipment of hand-tooled hat bands to J.W. Bennett Hat Shop in Jackson Hole. My leatherwork is now displayed and available for sale there. I won't pretend I didn't feel a little emotional about it.

Truly an answer to prayer.

The first batch featured iconic Wyoming scenes — the Moulton Barn, Snake River Overlook, the Teton Mountain Range — as well as bird-themed designs like the Great Horned Owl, Mallard, and Red-Tailed Hawk.

This is still very new territory for me, and Jennifer is right there with me at every step. We're learning as we go — and we're just getting started.

If you're ever in Jackson Hole, stop in at J.W. Bennett and take a look. And if you're curious about a custom piece, I'd love to hear from you.

→ ckleatherart.com  |  JW Bennett Hat Shop: jwbennett.com