Q Where are you originally from?
A Geraldine. I loved growing up in Geraldine. I joined a Geraldine tramping club in my teens. Shortly after that my whole family joined. I got into rock climbing. It was heaven growing up there. My city friends were jealous.
A I studied art at Timaru Polytechnic under Rosemary Campbell Greer. That’s when the Government was paying people to study so I got paid to study. I was there for a year and a-half and then I saw a job advertised in the New Zealand armed forces for a display artist. I used to live at Burnham — did the normal army training everyone does. We did all the design work for the army, navy and air force for all the South Island. Pretty much anything. All sorts of stuff. It was really old-school, it was wet brush and paint. Now signwriters are using computers and stickers.
Q What first brought you to Oamaru?
A I came down to Oamaru for a penny-farthing race. I loved it. After that first race I quit my job in Morrisons of Geraldine. I heard that in Tasmania where they penny-farthing raced they paid their overseas racers, so I went over and competed. I met up with another Irish penny-farthing racer and we did some tours. I ended up in Adelaide and raced. The weather was nice so I stayed. I was in Australia for three years.
Q How long were you in Japan?
A I was in Japan for a total of 16 years. Got into English teaching there and I just stayed. I really enjoyed it. I was in a small city called Shibata. I was there for three years and then my friends in Oamaru, Neil Plunket and Bruce Gibson, purchased the Empire Hotel and they were looking for a manager. I came back and managed the Empire Hotel Backpackers from 2001 to 2003. Built penny-farthings in the basement. About 2003 moved back to Japan, but couldn’t get a teaching job and ended up working in a bar. Eventually going back into teaching and I became a head teacher and was in charge of a lot of foreigners. Just before I turned 40 I wanted to get out of teaching.
Q How did you get into leather work?
A I met my wife Tamaki while selling pies. She’s a chef. We started running the Celtic Cafe Bar together. My family roots are originally from Scotland and Tamaki is really interested in handcrafts.
We had a Celtic music session I started. I suggested we hold monthly music sessions at our bar. Before long it became really popular. One of those musicians was a leather craftsman — really high-end stuff. I asked if he could teach me how to stitch leather. I just wanted a new belt. That’s how I got started. I just wanted to make a belt. I really enjoy leather work. He gave me a few lessons which was really helpful ... I didn’t ever buy a book.I’ve been doing leather for about three years now.
Q What’s involved?
A I do wet form leather bags. I use water-based dyes and linen thread — that’s all from Japan. The main product is the leather wet-formed shoulder bag. The colours are really vibrant. I do commissioned work. I had a jazz pianist in Japan whom I made a really nice big bag for. The other thing I’m about to start doing is black jacks — 18th-century beer mugs. They’re leather with wax. I’ve got one at home. It’s all I drink out of.
Q Why are you back in Oamaru?
A I came back without my wife and daughter because family members weren’t well. It was one of my toughest decisions in my life. I arrived in Oamaru in October last year.
