SCHOLARSHIP STORIES
CHEYENNE BARNES’ STORY
One of the unique aspects of the Sally Knowles Joseph Scholarship, offered by The Rodear, is that it allows Western artists and tradeswomen to design and lead their own learning opportunity. I’ve been doing leatherwork for six years now, and with all my kids finally in school, I’ve felt ready to take my leather business to the next level and challenge myself artistically.
For years, I’ve admired Sarah Garvey’s incredible purses and original leather artwork. Every piece she creates is beautifully tooled—from the front and back to the strap and gusset. My favorite part of leatherwork is designing the carving and tooling for each project, and I’ve often dreamed of learning directly from her. So, I reached out to Sarah through Instagram to ask if she’d be open to a one-on-one workshop through The Rodear—and I was thrilled when she responded!
After receiving the SKJ scholarship, Sarah and I coordinated our schedules and planned a five-day workshop. She asked me to create a list of everything I hoped to learn during our time together. My list was quite long, but the main focus was on improving my overall design and layout skills.
On the first day, I met Sarah at the studio, and she gave me a tour, showing me how her space is set up, what machines she has, and the tools she relies on.
Once the tour was over, we hit the ground running–-starting with an overview of the basic elements of design and how those are applied to the overall project. Each day was filled with discussion and a variety of hands-on experiences.
I began the process of creating a new purse design at the beginning of the week and had a pattern and a prototype made up by the end of it.
It was amazing to watch Sarah demonstrate drawing and design and tooling it–I picked up so many helpful tips to improve my own drawing and carving. I also ended up with a large wish list of tools I’d like to add to my shop!
I have a background in Fine Arts and am familiar with the elements of art, but it was incredibly enlightening to finally connect that knowledge to leatherwork. The way Sarah taught helped me develop a new awareness of how to apply those simple elements to the overall design of a piece. I learned to ask the right questions at the start of a project and how to break the process into organized steps to achieve a strong final design. We started calling this approach the "funnel process."
One of the biggest takeaways was the importance of not skipping steps—and of stepping back to see the piece as a whole before getting caught up in the details. I’ve always loved the drawing and design aspect, and it was a powerful reminder to hear from Sarah that craft and art must grow together for a piece to truly succeed.
During my time in her studio, I filled pages and pages with notes—so many “aha” moments that I know I’ll refer to for years to come. Sarah is an incredible teacher, and my experience with her gave me foundational skills that I can apply to any project. I now have the knowledge to create well-thought-out, beautifully designed, and skillfully finished pieces that will reflect my unique style, no matter what I choose to make.
I plan to continue developing the prototype bag I started with Sarah and hope to build a full collection later this year. I’m also looking forward to attending the Rodear event, connecting with other makers, and meeting new people who appreciate quality, handmade products with a Western flair.
I truly love the Western trades and want to keep creating, learning, and growing as both a tradeswoman and an artist. I hope to share what I’ve learned with others—just as so many generous people have shared their knowledge with me.
I feel like an organization like the Rodear truly helps open doors to opportunities with professional makers that wouldn’t otherwise be possible. I’m incredibly grateful to have been chosen as a scholarship recipient this year and for the amazing educational experience I was able to have. Thank you, Sarah Garvey, for opening your studio and giving me an enlightening, exhausting, fun, and unforgettable week of work and learning! Thank you, The Rodear, for having the vision to support and advance the world of Western trades for women, for awarding me this scholarship, and for making it all happen. And thank you to everyone who supports and donates to this incredible organization and event!
