Good Keeping – leather studies of Pittsford, New York

From the Practice Log – an ongoing series of leather stamping studies.

A September study – Volume II.

GOOD KEEPING is a small leather collection rooted in Pittsford, New York – a canal village with a talent for keeping things. The old coal tower still stands over Schoen Place, and a beloved tree has been kept alive by graft and patience. We pressed that habit into small leather goods – luggage tags and journals among them.

First, the ride. From Schoen Place the towpath runs to Fairport and back, 13.5 miles with the water for company, and the whole way is level. We set a cyclist rolling along the path line and gave the tag its honest promise – FLAT ALL THE WAY.

Black and white artwork of a cyclist above the words Schoen Place to Fairport, a die plate for the Good Keeping leather collection of Pittsford, New York.

Looks great when stamped onto the leather – pale sea-blue for the water and deep green for the canopy over the path.

A turquoise leather luggage tags stamped with a cyclist above the words Schoen Place to Fairport, from the Good Keeping collection of Pittsford, New York.

A forest green leather luggage tags stamped with a cyclist above the words Schoen Place to Fairport, from the Good Keeping collection of Pittsford, New York.

The black tag carries it in gold.

A black leather luggage tags stamped with a cyclist above the words Schoen Place to Fairport, from the Good Keeping collection of Pittsford, New York.

Next, the local. Off the towpath, the canal preserve keeps a boardwalk and a frog pond, so we gave the keychain a resident – seated on a plank under the words IN NO HURRY. The village runs on the same schedule.

Black and white artwork of the IN NO HURRY frog roundel, a die plate for the Good Keeping leather collection of Pittsford, New York.

On deep green and on warm caramel tan.

A forest green leather keychains stamped with the IN NO HURRY frog roundel, from the Good Keeping collection of Pittsford, New York.

A caramel leather keychains stamped with the IN NO HURRY frog roundel, from the Good Keeping collection of Pittsford, New York.

Then, the landmark. The old coal tower still rides its low roof above Schoen Place, which locals pronounce shane. We drew it plainly, rivets and porch posts included, and pressed it small into the corner of the top bag of the toiletry stack – honeyed russet over deep espresso brown.

Black and white artwork of the Schoen Place coal tower, a die plate for the Good Keeping leather collection of Pittsford, New York.

A indian summer leather dopp kits stamped with the Schoen Place coal tower, from the Good Keeping collection of Pittsford, New York.

And finally, the one we kept for last. The great copper beech on State Street came down in 2018, but the town grafted healthy cuttings onto new roots, and the first sapling went into the ground in 2021. We drew the two of them on one ground line – the crown as it stood, the sapling as it stands – over the words STILL GROWING.

It looks genuinely beautiful.

Black and white artwork of the STILL GROWING copper beech and sapling, a die plate for the Good Keeping leather collection of Pittsford, New York.

A arizona leather catchall trays stamped with the STILL GROWING copper beech and sapling, from the Good Keeping collection of Pittsford, New York.

The journals carry it too – deep wine for the beech's dark leaf, and a pale warm greige beside it.

A sangria leather leather journals stamped with the STILL GROWING copper beech and sapling, from the Good Keeping collection of Pittsford, New York.

A gray sand leather leather journals stamped with the STILL GROWING copper beech and sapling, from the Good Keeping collection of Pittsford, New York.

We made this out of love. Leatherius Woodman is on a mission to create and share artifacts of beauty, craft and love – this study is one of them, and we hope the feeling is mutual. Every image is a render – how we prototype before cutting a die.

If you'd like any of these made real, or anything here changed – say hello through our contact page.

P.S.

An alternate leather luggage tag render from the Good Keeping collection of Pittsford, New York.

An alternate leather luggage tag render from the Good Keeping collection of Pittsford, New York.

An alternate leather luggage tag render from the Good Keeping collection of Pittsford, New York.