About Me

As a child I spent much of my time outdoors in Florida. From skating to surfing and most importantly, starting my paintball career at 16. Which I still love playing today. 
Currently I am a leather working artist who has dedicated the last 5 years of my life learning all I can about leather. I went to college in Florida way back in.... for photography. I spent the next few years as a professional stock photographer.
I felt the pull to be more artistic on my own. I saw a glassblowing demo one day at a local artist market and fell in love. I went on to blow glass for the next 21 years. Even moving cross country to Oregon for a bit to follow my passion.
In that time I met my now wife and we have been married since 2006. In 2015 we moved to our current home in Asheville, NC. Many years of glassblowing later, in 2016, my wife and I learned we were going to have a daughter. 
I knew glassblowing was taking a toll on me and encompassed much of my time. I needed a new art. I had been collecting leather wallets and other items for a while now. The leather facinated me. Almost as a joke my wife bough me a leather woking starters kit. As cheesy as it was, little did she know it would ignite my passion and push me to explore. 
It was so alluring, with each morsel I needed to learn more. So here we are now. I am still learning and growing and loving every moment of it. 

Matt Sasha Hess