Leather craftsman featured at Paint, Metal & Mud celebration

Leather craftsman Dan Baldwin will be the featured artist at Paint, Metal & Mud’s Father’s Day celebration planned from 4-7 p.m. Friday, June 16, at the gallery in downtown Kalispell.

Burger sliders and refreshments will be served.

Baldwin, a disabled Vietnam veteran from Kalispell who owns Montana Bison and Leather, recently joined the consortium of artists that operate the Paint, Metal & Mud artists’ cooperative and gallery at 8 First St. E., Suite 104.

Baldwin creates hand-stitched leather products, including tote bags, purses, wallets, briefcases, map bags and journals. He works with a variety of leathers, such as bison, elk deer, moose, cow and exotics, with colors ranging from natural, black and brown to bright yellow, red and pink. Styles range from historical to traditional, to cutting-edge.

“As a crew of one, our production is limited and our products are unique,” Baldwin said. “It’s unlikely you’ll run into someone with the same bag or wallet.”

One of Baldwin’s bison briefcases recently was selected by a jury for the Charles Russell Museum spring auction.

Paint, Metal & Mud is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call the gallery at 406-755-8886.