About

 

Laura Hambleton is the artist behind Skunks n’ Roses, a whimsical, nature-loving micro-tannery specializing in handcrafted leatherwork often incorporating plant and animal fibres, and other foraged natural materials. Every piece is designed and created by Laura, featuring materials she has personally and naturally hand-tanned, such as fish leather, and select bark or mineral tanned hides. Based in Mi’kma’ki (Nova Scotia, Canada), Skunks n’ Roses comes to life in Laura’s studio, nestled in the forest by the ocean.

Laura started learning leatherwork in 2016 and then decided to jump in with both feet in 2019 – leaving her job working in refugee resettlement, and moving to Chiapas, Mexico to complete a 3 month full-time apprenticeship with her teacher and friend Romeo, a local leather artist. This influence can be viewed in Laura’s traditional leatherwork, almost exclusively hand-stitched, and designs displaying ornate lacing and tooling techniques.