At an early age, art & classic/custom vehicles shaped my youth.  Car shows, antique flea markets, art galleries, and family artists all added to the visual stimulation.  Hot Rods took ahold quickly while playing with toy cars and getting to ride in Dad’s 55 Chevy.  Saturday morning cartoons carried my artistic talents through high school fueling the idea that I wanted to be an animator.  Shop classes and a Camaro kept my hands dirty too.  Upon graduation, I went on to Art school to follow the animator dream.  After only a year I discovered that my need to be more hands on in my art would push me to a trade school to learn more about cars, fabrication, welding, customizing, upholstery, paint and design.  

 

After completing college I worked in a few hot rod, customizing and upholstery shops and I even went out on my own for a bit.  Then an opportunity came to teach at my alma mater, why not, let’s see where this leads.  Who knew after struggling in school myself, and being a quiet guy, that I would take to teaching.  I enjoyed it for nearly 12 years and boy did it allow me to push my own skills to the next level.  Teaching also opened the door to great industry relationships and lasting friendships.  Some of those opportunities developed into being on Overhaulin’, Extreme 4x4, HorsepowerTV and even a few commercials for the school.

 

Now here I am still expanding the skill set.  Having made Florida my new home, I have had the chance to focus my energy into where the next chapter would take me.  I have resurrected my parent’s business, The Leather Corner, established 1971 in Bar Harbor, Maine.  I have dipped my toes into these waters a few times over the years.  Now it has taken ahold of me and the results have been more than satisfying.  Outside of leather crafting, my other skills have been more focused on motorcycles. A chop top or other metal shaping project seems to always appear too. And finally a new medium in furniture is developing that provides challenges in function and concealment.  

 

Everything is a drive to take ideas and make them a reality.  

 

So welcome to the Imagineering mind of Dan Dermott.