Western Saddles Add to calendar Pedro Pedrini ♦ Pedrini Saddle Co. Marysville, CA | Western Saddles | Website The saddle for a cowboy is his home. Pedro Pedrini would know this better than anyone. Pedro lives a truly American Western lifestyle—even though he grew up in France and the Swiss Alps. He was always fascinated by the Wild West, and has spent his entire life around horses. By travelling around the world and studying with several different saddle makers, Pedro was able to develop his skills and soon start making his own western saddles. Today, he makes saddles in his Northern California shop. He believes it was his diverse training that gives him his unique technique and style. In 2008, Pedro was nominated Saddle Maker of the Year by the Academy of Western Artists in Fort Worth, TX. But by far the greatest honor of Pedro Pedrini’s career still was his 2007 acceptance into the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association. In 2009, he and his wife, Claire, launched the Western Leather Academy, a saddle making school and leather workmanship program that offers small group or individual formation. GET TO KNOW PEDRO What drew you to your chosen craft? The love of the West and the cowboy lifestyle and their evolution through time using horses every step of the way. What do you enjoy most about your craft? The diversity of the saddles in the horse industry and the many items to be handcrafted and the creativity involved in the making and the decoration of all those things. Why is it important for people to make things with their own hands? It is extremely rewarding. It is not for everybody, but the ones who choose a trade involving “handmade” will enjoy a lifetime experience of improving their skills and creativity. In what ways are handmade goods better than those that are mass-produced? The mass produced is based on numbers. Quality is not in their vocabulary! Price is…Handmade and custom made products are to fit one customer at the time, with a maximum of quality made to last, often as an heirloom. What does the future hold for your type of work? The future is brighter now than ever. There is a younger generation of craftsmen very dedicated. The TCAA is a big part of that. As long there will be horses, there will be saddlemakers! Glass Chandeliers, Garden Tools, Western Saddles EPISODE | PHOTOS | SCHEDULE ♦ GLASS CHANDELIERS | GARDEN TOOLS DISCOVER OTHER ARTISANS [rev_slider alias=”crafts”] #HandcraftedAmerica