Jim Linnell is a

leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and hogs, ...

craftsman who has dedicated much of his life to the promotion of

leather working Leather crafting or simply leathercraft is the practice of making leather into craft objects or works of art, using shaping techniques, coloring techniques or both. Techniques Dyeing The application of pigments carried by solvents or water in ...

as an art form. Linnell was raised in southeastern Montana, where he was first introduced to leather working in an industrial arts class in Junior High. He enjoyed working with leather and began making small projects that he would sell to classmates at enough of a profit to buy a new tool or pattern. After high school, he worked at Boyd's Boot and Saddle in

Miles City, Montana Miles City ( chy, Ma'xemâhoévé'ho'eno) is a city in and the county seat of Custer County, Montana, United States. The population was 8,354 at the 2020 census. History After the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876, the U.S. Army created fo ...

for several years, where he made custom leather goods and taught classes.

Professional career

He began working for

Tandy Leather Tandy Leather Factory, Inc. is an American specialty retailer and wholesale distributor of leather and leatherwork related products. It operates more than 100 stores worldwide. Originally part of the Tandy Corporation, Tandy Leather has gone thro ...

in 1978 and managed multiple stores with the chain during his career. In 1983, Linnell was recognized with the salesman's Victor Award by the Fort Worth Sales & Marketing Executives Association for leading sales gains and profit improvements in the 275-store retail chain. He went on to serve as the president of Joshua's Christian bookstores in 1990, where he served for 7 years before they were purchased by

Family Christian Stores Family Christian (formerly called Zondervan Book Store, Family Book Stores, and Family Christian Stores) headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan is a Christian themed web retailer.George Hurst George Hurst may refer to: * George Hurst (conductor) (1926–2012), British conductor * George Hurst (artist) (born 1933), American leather artist * George Samuel Hurst (1927–2010), health physicist, scientist, inventor, educator and innovator * ...

. He returned to Tandy Leather as Director of Operations in 2002. He later served as the National Advertising Manager for the brand, before retiring in April 2017. During his tenure at Tandy Leather, Linnell dedicated much of his time to promoting leathercraft, having taught in 39 states, Europe, and England. He also developed a 4-H leathercraft program in Puerto Rico in collaboration with their Department of Agriculture. He also teaches a free annual class for youth at the Sheridan Leather show. In 2017, Linnell retired from Tandy Leather and started Elktracks Studio Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the history of leathercraft through teaching, both online and in workshops around the world.

Awards and achievements

Linnell spent 4 months creating a leather piece that was signed by the cast of ''

Lonesome Dove ''Lonesome Dove'' is a 1985 Western novel by American writer Larry McMurtry. It is the first published book of the ''Lonesome Dove'' series, but the third installment in the series chronologically. The story revolves around the relationships b ...

'' and auctioned for $28,000 at the Lonesome Dove Reunion Gala in

Fort Worth Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...

, Texas. His efforts to help grow leathercraft have been recognized with the

Al Stohlman Award for Achievement in Leathercraft The Al Stohlman Award for Achievement in Leathercraft honors the accomplishments of individual leather workers worldwide for their continued dedication and exemplary service to leathercraft. The criteria for nominations are someone who has demons ...

in 2002, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Federation of Leather Guilds in 2006, and the

Academy of Western Artists The Academy of Western Artists, based in Gene Autry, Oklahoma, is an organization that honors individuals who have preserved and perpetuated the heritage of the American cowboy, through rodeo, music, poetry, campfire and chuckwagon cooking, and w ...

’ Master Leather Artisan award in 2013. In 2017, Linnell was commissioned by the AWA to create a leather portrait of

Will Rogers William Penn Adair Rogers (November 4, 1879 – August 15, 1935) was an American vaudeville performer, actor, and humorous social commentator. He was born as a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, in the Indian Territory (now part of Oklahoma ...

for the cover of their annual awards show. His work has also been featured on numerous catalog, magazine, and album covers over the last 20 years.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Linnell, Jim Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Leatherworkers