Pellettiere: Leather Maker Exhibition

‘Pellettiere’ means leather worker in Italian. Known as a ‘slow craft’, a leather maker’s skill in creating quality, enduring creations is not often on show. Go on a journey with us to celebrate the proud history and current perspectives on leather work and art in the Italo-Australian community. A collaboration between artists Lis de Vries and Sue Manski, with Vince Larosa, from Larosa Leathergoods, ‘Pellettiere’ presents the practice and art of leather craft; the people, sights, sounds, and creations of makers, artists, and artisans. Lis de Vries is a textile artist, she creates textile pieces with fragments and remnants and exploring techniques including weaving, printing and embellishment. Her pieces are bold, contain form, and incorporate non-fibre elements. Sue Manski has worked with leather for over 40 years, both as a creative medium and in her current profession as a leatherworker. Sue’s skills include leatherwork, photography, graphic design, sewing, pattern making and screen printing. Vince Larosa is representing the Larosa family, comprising two brothers, Sam and Tony and parents Josephine and Gabriel (deceased). Josephine and Gabriel emigrated to Australia in 1958 from the Southern Italian province of Catanzaro, Calabria. In Melbourne they opened their own business the Leather Goods manufacturing creating products that continue to be crafted today.