http://mkleatherworks.com/Sharon%20Keiley_files/imageEffectsAbove_sharon2.png

About MKLeatherworks

MKLeatherworks was founded in 2007 by Master Leathersmith Michael Keiley and his wife, Sharon.

Currently operating near West Palm Beach, Florida, they enjoy a busy schedule on the seasonal Southeastern U.S. art and craft fair circuit, offer online sales, and work directly with many institutional and individual clients.
MKLeatherworks

Promote Your Page Too
Text Box: But maybe I have stayed on it longer than most. I had plenty of company when I joined the leatherworking community in the summer of 1970. What began as a hobby became a part-time job while I was an Art major at Georgia State University. Before long, I was working full-time at Atlanta’s premier “hippie leather shop”, alongside some of the zaniest and most talented folks I’ve ever known. Our regular customers included some of the best-known musicians in the country at the time, including Ted Nugent, Leslie West (Mountain), The Outlaws, and KISS. It was a great way to learn a lot about the trade, and by the time the shop closed in 1976, I was a highly-skilled artisan. Next came a long involvement with the apparel industry, as both designer and manufacturer of leather fashion accessories. One season, my best friend and I made over 16,000 belts for Ralph Lauren’s Polo Western collection- in our living room! As with many other products, leather goods manufacturing mostly moved overseas, but the demand for custom and limited-production items remained. For two decades, I ran the custom shop for Atlanta Leather Specialties, where I produced my “most famous child”, the journal for the film Dances With Wolves, props for Cobb, Freejack, and Ed, as well as countless projects for corporate and individual clients across the country. It was also while at Atlanta Leather Specialties that I met Sharon West McCormick, who became a close friend and, years later, my wife. As my transition from tradesman to artisan to artist continues, her consistent encouragement and input are invaluable. Text Box: I excelled in my industrial arts classes in high school and college, but never studied any of the arts to pursue a formal career. I got my bachelor’s degree, got a “regular” job and just worked... but always had something “artistic” on the side. That is how I met my husband, Mike. I was making custom leather items for my friends and their families in the early ‘80’s  and needed a special machine for a particular project - I called a leather specialty company I found in the yellow pages and the rest is history. Mike and I began a lifelong friendship, that 20 years later resulted in marriage and a business partnership. During those 20 years from the time we met to the time we married, I had been fortunate enough to work for a very special jewelry company. A friend from college, who did get her degree in art, started a profitable jewelry business and brought me in as a salesperson. Through the course of the 5 year history of the company, I was involved not only in local and national sales, but also in the design and manufacturing in the US and overseas. It was an exciting time - the company became the licensed designer and manufacturer of Lilly Pulitzer brand jewelry - I had the opportunity to design a portion of the line - it was an amazing experience. Unfortunately, sometimes really good things end, but almost always, really great things then begin. Thus is the case with MKLeatherworks... Mike and I now have the opportunity to work together to offer a really unique line, blending our talents. You will see this in our designs - we collaborate on many items, but, I must say, his hand tooling continues to take my breath away. My dear friend described his celtic tooled guitar strap as “heart stoppingly beautiful”. We hope that you will also enjoy the beauty of the items we offer and contact us whenever you think of something special that you need. Text Box: I’m not sure you’d call it a “road less travelled”, Text Box: For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be an artist.