Meet Emily Boksenbaum | Leather worker and artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Emily Boksenbaum and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I have always wanted to make things by hand. Being fully in control of a creative process like that just brings me so much joy. After college I worked for a leather worker who created tooled leather creations for interior design applications. Watching her run her own business as an artist that sold decorative work inspired me to find my own product that I could eventually make into a business for myself. Footwear was a natural fit for me and though I didn’t see many people doing it for a living, I started making shoes by hand.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I make leather cowboy boots. I like to call them art boots because they are as much about the design as they are about the construction. My approach is non-traditional in that while I use traditional cowboy boot construction methods, my designs are created in the likeness of my own illustration style and methods of leather decoration. I like to use nontraditional methods of stitching and painting to create a unique masterpiece on each custom pair.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in Boulder, Colorado and I moved here about two years ago. I’ve had many friends come visit since and I love to share my go-to spots with them. We will start with Lucky’s Bakery for coffee and something sweet. I’ve been gluten free for 30 years and they have the most delicious gf section I’ve ever seen. We would definitely go on a hike (depending on who is visiting) but the must do hike here is Mount Sanitas. After maybe we would get a drink at Sanitas brewing or get a reservation at Acreage in Lafayette for dinner and cider.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Brooklyn Shoespace is where I took my first shoemaking class. They are an amazing resources and really one of a kind. Located in Brooklyn, New York, they run shoemaking classes where they will teach you how to make a pair of shoe from start to finish, going over patternmaking, material choice, and construction.

Website: Underhillleather.com

Instagram: Underhillleather