Today we’d like to introduce you to Terry Wise.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’ve been making my own cloths since I was young. Being a big guy, it’s difficult to find clothing that fits me and looked stylish. I had go to thrift stores to find cloths that I liked the style of (but hated the fabrics) take them apart and have an instant pattern. I was able to teach myself to sew and design new garments like this.
(Fast forward 20 years) I had auditioned for Project Runway, which is where I met Tim Gunn for the first time. He was impressed with my portfolio (pitiful thing it was then) and inquired where I had gone to school. After telling him I was self taught he gave me a piece of advice that changed my life! “If you are this good naturally, imagine what you could do if you were professionally trained?”
Within 2 months I had quit my job, gotten sober and enrolled in the Art Institute of Dallas. I learned a lot and fell in love with fashion design like never before. Winning many of the school competitions along the way then graduating at the top of my class.
I had been working with leather for a while, designing hand bags to start with, and was offered a free booth spot at A-kon in Dallas if I would teach a 45 mins. class on leather crafting. I had to come up with something and only had 2 weeks to do it! This is when I hit on the idea of doing 3D sculpted images on book covers. After teaching that class and having a line of people follow me back to my booth, I sold out of every book I had in stock on the first day! I spent the rest of the convention making books right there at the table while customers waited for them.
From there it grew, I started doing more and more cons all over Texas, then beyond. I’m constantly adding new inventory of the items I hand crafted. Each piece is one of a kind. I started taking commissioned work for both my art, as well as, fashion. I can make pretty much anything, except shoes, don’t have the right kind of sewing machine, yet.
I travel all over the US doing shows and selling my art. I love what I do for a living. Few people can truly say they are happy and love what they do. I know I’m blessed to be able to make a living doing something this fun and exciting!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Far from it. I try to have new merchandise and unusual items that people cant get anywhere else in my booth. Constantly dreaming up new stuff is hard and it doesn’t always sell. Some of my ideas have flopped while others have taken off.
One of the hardest things about doing this, is traveling from city to city selling my art at conventions (like comicon), it’s always a gamble. You never know if you’ll have a great show and sell lots or sell nothing and loose money by having gone there. But it’s one hell of an adventure doing it!
Please tell us about Sculptured Skins.
Sculptured Skins is all about the unusual. I dream up fantastical and crazy images that I sculpt and mold into leather. Some of my work can be described as “creepy”. I take this as a compliment! I do the most unusual leather work you may ever see, I take pride in the fact that my clients can not find anything like what I do anywhere else on the planet!
I’m most known for my 3D leather books and eyeball wrist bands. Those are also my biggest sellers. Aside from the art stuff, I’m getting well known for my unique leather jackets. I love using exotic leather like crocodile, stingray and python to create truly unique looks.
I goto an event in California called Wasteland Weekend every year. It’s a post apocalyptic gathering of thousands of people! Here, I can express my artists side in a completely different way, making something new into something old and looking like it survived the holocaust.
I’ve gotten to work on a couple of movies so far and am currently working with Eye Candy Inc. (a TV production company here in Houston) on their latest project! Sorry, no spoilers on what I did for them! But as soon as it comes out, I can tell you what I made and how amazing the people who run it are!
SculpturedSkins.com is a little show case for some of my previous work. You can’t purchase anything there, but can get a good idea of what I can do. For those wondering why I don’t sell online, it’s rather simple. Each piece is unique. I would not have the time to keep up with constantly updating what items I have in inventory (taking down sold stuff and putting new items up). It’s just too much for one person. I’m a one man show, every step of the way. From designing something, getting the raw materials to make it, pattern work and production.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Something most people today wouldn’t be able to relate to at all, going to the drive in theater to see movies. Lawn chairs to sit in and personal speakers to hear the movie. Those were some great nights spent with my family.
Pricing:
- 3D sculpted leather books: small journal size $70 Med. $90, Large sketch book size $120
- Purses: $150-$300
- Custom leather jackets start at $2,000 and go up from there
- Eye ball wrist bands: $30
- I can make almost anything for all types of budgets. Contact me to find out what I can make for you!
Contact Info:
- Website: SculpturedSkins.com
- Phone: 214-704-8909
- Email: DragonShdw@hotmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nozama
Image Credit:
Richard Wessels
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
