For the love of leather: One of the last crafters and the unique items he's made

Gary Barnes was a teenager when he first got into leather.

Forty-five years later Barnesis still cutting, sewing and creating goods that his customershave grown to loveand depend on.

The tanneries have long gone from Newfoundland and the rest of Canada. One of themain reasons was due to free trade. Barnes now imports leather from places like SouthAmerica and Europe.

Barnes began his career making leather purses and belts but soon discovered anuntapped niche working on Newfoundland-styled horse harnesses. TheNewfoundland pony was different in size and shape than most workhorses, as it required aspecially-designed harness.

"I was 23 years old ...been operating my business for a couple years," Barnes said. "I met a man, JackPhelan. He was 72 years old. He said, 'Let me make some items for you. I can put youin business."'

This was the beginning of a working relationship that lasted 13 years. According to Barnes, Phelan brought with him old knowledge of the Newfoundland pony harness thatwas virtually unknown toleather workers of the day. Phelan was old enough to be Barnes's grandfather, but he was an employee.

But Barnes said it was soon evident that,although he was the boss, he was very much an apprentice.

"When we started, we were hand sewing everything." Barnes said. "Hand sewing isvery long and painful and not very profitable."

Some people will say it is a dying art, but it is not. It is just an unused trade aroundhere.- Gary Barnes

That'swhen Barnes bought threesewing machines. One was 120 years old but perfect for sewing leather. He still has that samemachine.

The Newfoundland harness was fashioned after the Irish horse harness. A single smaller pony wore it, which was virtually unheard of in North America.

The business changed with the times. With the advent of the Newfoundlandmigrant worker, a new product caught Barnes' eye.Gone was the Newfoundlanderwho fished and farmed the land now he was making hand-crafted belts and pouchesfor ironworkers.

Barnes said the wonderful thing about these belts is that they'refunctional, and are a little piece ofhome that the worker can take with them.

Another market that Barneshas tapped into in recently is customizedmotorcycle seats. When a rider buys a bike, it'simportant to have a seat that'scomfortable and will allow a longride.

"A lot of my customers who want work done on their motorcycle seat are notlooking for repairs, they are looking for adjustments," said Barnes.

Women usually require a seat that willallow their legs to reach the ground. Barnes takes the seat, cuts the foam and then covers it with upholstery leather from Italy or Germany. He said one customerwanted Newfoundland sealskin incorporated into the seat to give it a unique look for when they travel outside the province.

Painstaking care to build bellows

Perhaps Barnes' most memorable project took place two years ago when the Brigus HistoricalSociety commissioned him to repair the bellows to PinkstonForge,recently acquired for their working museum.

The century-old bellows were in suchbad shape because of dry rot and age that Barnes suggested he just build a new set.

"It was probably about three months worth of work spread out over a year and ahalf," he said.Because it'sa working museum, Barnesthought it important to documentevery detail of the bellows that were originally built 100 years ago in Scotland.

When we started, we were hand sewing everything.- Gary Barnes

So,with inspection cameras and a flashlight, Barnes carefully inspected the interior, thenpainstakingly copied the bellows piece by piece inside and out, and builta brand new set that'sbeing used at the forge today. The original bellows are still atthe forge as a display.

Barnes has no plans on retiring anytime soon."My studio is next door to my house and I set my own hours," addingthat as long as he'senjoying his craft, he'llkeep on working.

"Some people will say it is a dying art, but it is not. It is just an unused trade aroundhere," he said.

Barnes said that like everything, people could buy cheaperelsewhere."But, there will always be a market for locally hand-crafted goods."

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