Leather and leaves

Kyogle artist Mario Sanchez works in a rare medium.

Story Bruce McMahon  Photos David Kelly

Leaves are a recurring theme in the life of Mario Sanchez, from a childhood in southern Spain to the forests of Kyogle in northern NSW, to the leaf and trailing vine tattooed on his left forearm.The artist recalls arranging leaves into imaginings on the ground as a child and today he crafts intricate, life-like leaves from leather, a medium not always understood or accepted in the art world.

“Leather art is almost pigeonholed as a craft, so it’s often hard to bring it into the fine arts or the conceptual art world,” Mario says. “That’s one of the biggest challenges I face. It’s galleries as well. The moment you want to bring leather into the contemporary space, there’s a bit of resistance. It’s got that western, cowboy vibe I guess.”

The fresh-faced 44-year-old has worked hard at perfecting this passion and honing his work, which is well-accepted in his rural hometown and by collectors around the world, in particular in the USA. He collected tools over time, handcrafted leather goods, and repaired and sold leather goods until he was confident enough to realise his concepts with his skills.