Artist Spotlight
Lani has been a member of the Durham Craft Market since 2013 and served as the Membership Chair for a few years. She has dabbled in the arts and crafts world for over 30 years but began focusing on her craft business seriously since joining the DCM. She enjoys creating mixed media jewelry and uses mainly leather as her base material. Her “off the beaded path” styles appeal to customers who are looking for something different, yet cool. She uses leather working tools along with paints and dyes to create one of a kind pieces. She has been teaching herself to create pieces out of polymer clay and loves to challenge herself in finding ways to marry leather with the clay.

How did you get started in your particular craft and how long have you been in business?
Where do you draw your influence from?
My work is influenced by my Hawaiian roots, coming from a diverse state of vibrant colors. You will find a mix of media with my leather pieces, using various metals, ceramics, polymer clay and magnets. I am also influenced by the myriad of YouTube and Pinterest posts, who’s not? I didn’t attend art or design school, so a lot of what I do is self-taught.
What is your favorite new product or new technique?
I bought a new die cutting machine and have been having fun cutting leather flowers and layering them by riveting on an embossed, painted leather cuff. I also am having a blast learning new polymer clay techniques (there is so much that you can do with this product!).
What are your hobbies and interests outside of your art?
I am also spending some time developing my writing skills and belong to a writer’s group. I want to complete at least my autobiography one day soon as well as publish my poetry. I had a stint in music percussion and performing spoken word with my own poetry.
Tell us about a special experience that you have had at the Durham Craft Market. What makes the market special for you?
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501 Foster street durham, NC 27701
thedurhamcraftmarket@gmail.com
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