Howard Knight started tooling leather because of 4-H. As a child whose family bred and trained Thoroughbred horses, his upbringing in Sandpoint, Idaho, was steeped in western culture. Although life led him to become an electrician, his 4-H project turned into an ever-present hobby. After an accident forced him off the job for two years, he picked up his swivel knife and has not laid it down for 24 years.
With his hobby reinstated in his life as a career, he embraced the artistry of the craft and found a love of fashion and creating beautiful wearable art. He does so in the form of belts, handbags, hat bands, and boots. “In another life, I would have been a fashion designer,” says Howard. “I love to create things that accentuate a woman’s body: belts for her lovely waist and long handbag straps that show off elegant necklines.” But he does not stop there; he has created panels for fine furniture and luggage.
His obvious love of the art has led him to many innovations and a unique style of leatherwork that is recognizable anywhere. His cuts are finer than most, and his freehand scroll work is unique to him. His tools are hand-shaped to fit his style of carving. He custom blends his own dyes to get richer tones. Then there are the vibrant colors and textures that peek unexpectedly through the elegant carving. These are exotic pieces of leather: Hermes crocodile, lizard, python, in brilliant tones, with pieces of the carved overlay removed carefully with a scalpel in Howard’s own style of leather filigree.
Howard’s unique style and high-quality work have landed him commission jobs with such prestigious companies as the Harley Davidson Motorcycle Company, and his work is in many private collections. He has created custom boots that took 800 hours of hand tooling and airbrushing for international businessmen. He works with furniture makers, adding his award-winning work to their creations as beautiful accents and inclusions. One of his favorite collaborators is nationally recognized boot maker Lisa Sorrel. Together, their boots become wearable art to the nth degree. He also carves custom watch bands and hat bands that anchor fantastic Montana-made hats and wrists. Over half of his work is sold in Europe and Africa.
Besides spending eight of the ten hours a day tooling in his studio, Howard finds time to teach 4-H members in Montana leather craft and exhibit in prestigious shows around the country. Never shy, he loves to talk about his love of all things leather. He is known to tell a few stories now and then.