Chris started sewing at age five and has been a leather artist for fifty years. For much of her career she has been involved in historical research and reproduction work dating back to 16th-century European leatherwork, clothing, and artifacts. She has made museum-quality reproductions of Native American and Early American garments and artifacts, including bead and quill work. Since 1991, Chapman has been focused on the creation of leather bonded furniture, architectural elements, and home accessories. Her work brings a fresh perspective to the medium, which she finds incredibly versatile in that she can adapt it to nearly any time period, style, and design — from Victorian, Western and Spanish Territorial, to Old English and Art Deco. Chris is inspired by historical references, such as classic Western art and Black Forest influences, and the natural world, including animals of all kinds, mountains, and landscapes. “My great-grandparents were farmers, horsemen, farriers and blacksmiths; their land remains agricultural to this day. I realized my style of artwork is in my DNA.”
