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Heritage in leather - as the leather craftsman says. The first photo that grabed my attention shown a sabretache with a unique pattern. Then the further pictures I saw also amazed my fantasy.
Who could he be, I wonder, and how does he create these beautiful things? Before I could get in touch with with the person who this article is about, I had repeated his name several times for myself. I am convinced that noone can ever forget his hardly pronouncable name and the products he makes. It is worth to browse on his website (in Hungarian, English and German): http://steixnerleatherart.com/
István Steixner leather craftsman and his leather products. The person and his creations make the customers impressed. A kind, cheerful, smiling young man filled with energy, determination and enthusiasm that all reflects on the items he makes with his own hands. Open-mindedness, receptivity, teachability, complexity, and will for improvement - these are the ingredients of his success. These characteristics make his work so unique and 'Steixnerish'.
István's fond of folkart can be thanked to one of his teachers. He learnt several folk professions in his teenage years. Enamel, metal ornamentary, wood carving, leather crafts, applied graphics and - in the recent years - frippery usage and bone carving.
His knowledge got in Primary School and the support of his teachers and family all couraged him to continue his studyies at the Secondary School of Visual Arts (Budapest) in the Leather Design department. He won several wards on various local and national competitions in fine art and folk categories such as the National Outstanding Student of the leather-working. Obviously, these achievements prompted him to keep going on this way. He usually teaches in clubs, attends folk markets and festivals, organizes exhibitions for his own works.
Products made of leather always existed, exist and always will. István creates every day users made of leather, sometimes attached with bone, horn, bead, felt or metal ornaments. The items are created based on personal requests, and he pays great attention to all of them. Sometimes it happens that produceing only one piece takes hundreds of hours. He works on it through weeks or months until it win its final shape. Looking at the cuts, carving and stiches one could think that they are made by machines. But as I learnd from Istvan, every phase of work is made by his own hands. The ornaments on the leather are cut with a simple knife. He cuts the pre-drawn patterns out, then he sew the parts together using the conveniently thick and colored tread. If the item in question needs any special ornament, István paints, embroidesr and carves also. https://www.facebook.com/SteixnerLeatherArt/
The beauty of István's work is the result of many factors. First of all, he applies tousand-year old Hungarian motifs during the process, adjusting them to meet the demands of trends of present time. Secondly, he fits the outlook of every item to the style of the customers. Finally he adds that certain plus we already mentioned, the 'Steixnerishness' to every single product.
Sabretaches, belt-bags, belt, wallets, bags, bracelets,necklaces, folders, armbands, traditional equipments, dog, horse, rider, motor- and bycicle products. The fantasy is endless - on the side of the craftsman and of the customers, too. Some of them turned to István with wierd requests, ordering perverse outfit, martial harnesses for a Great Dane dog and strange things like these. He attracted attention to himself in many foreign countries (e.g. Turkey, Japan, Australia, USA, Germany, Polland). Worldwide known companies ask him to make their dreams come true.
You can never know what István is up to. What is sure that he always has a new idea. I hardly can wait to see what new product he turn up with in the immediate future. I wish him to achieve his biggest dream and create a whole and complete armour decorated with Hungarian, Celtic, Viking, Japaneese and other motifs, exhibiting it to the audience on an amazing party.
