Joe Meling (Pendleton) is a leather worker and leather carver who has been working with leather since his youth. He work adorns saddles, belts, and boots.
Bio
Joe Meling is a leather worker and leather carver who has been working with leather since his youth. He carves designs for saddles, belts, and boots. During college he worked in a Camas saddle shop, where he refined his leather carving. Since 2010, Meling has run 23+, a custom leather shop in Pendleton, which he shares with boot maker Richard Stapleman. The shop is named for the top score for rodeo bull riders—a score of over 23 is a mark of excellence. Meling carefully questions each buyer so that he can create the best design for them. He also creates custom leather belts for customers from a variety of occupations—lineman, woodworker, card player, and even a pastor from Canada. He draws all of his own patterns, and says that the “flow” of the design is important to the overall aesthetic. As a boy, Meling enjoyed drawing and explains that he was was naturally attracted to floral work when he began leather carving. To construct each item, he cuts out the leather, then tapes the back to keep it from stretching. He tools the leather when it’s a bit wet. To save time, he likes to use one tool in all the places where it’s needed rather than switching among several throughout the carving process. Meling first uses a swivel knife to cut a pattern, then a beveler to cut down the leather. Next he switches to a pear shader, and then he sets the flower centers in the middle. Meling is so exacting that he does not leave any visible tool marks.
