Arthur Porter, Craftsman
Craftsman Arthur Porter creates custom chaps with a western flair at his in-home
workshop in Dallas, Texas. Arthur’s designer chaps-sexy pant-like leggings first made
popular by cowboys and more recently motocycle riders-represent a one of a kind
fashion statement for those not afraid to turn a few heads. He sees the chaps as the payoff
for a lifetime search for his own unique artistic gift.
Arthur has labeled his creative endeavor “Red Horse Chaps”. His creations have garnered him back-to-back blue ribbons in the State Fair of Texas’ Creative Arts Craftsman competition and lots of buzz on the street.
He sees his creations as art as much as high fashion garments and can often be seen sporting his chaps and other leather pieces on his excursions through the streets of Dallas on his Harley. Each piece starts as a basic pair of chaps fashioned from the softest high quality leather. Depending on the customer’s whims and Arthur’s daring embellishments including gold and silver studs, lettering and flashy colors each piece is guaranteed to turn heads and make an artistic statement.
Arthur, who was born in April 1953, remembers his grandfather telling him at a very young age that everyone has a special gift. In 1982, he began his search for his special talent as an art photography student at Cooper Institute of Art. In 1985, his quest took him to Elken Institute where he studied commercial photography. Still in search of his own unique style of artistic expression, he continued his studies at a local video technical school. While he excelled in all of these forms, still he felt he had yet to discover the gift his grandfather had predicted for him.
At the age of 45, late one night on a trip to a convenience store, Arthur was approached by a panhandler claiming to be a leather craftsman who promised to make him a leather bag in exchange for a few dollars. Wanting to patronize a fellow artist, Arthur agreed and even purchased the supplies his new friend said he needed to do the job. But the bag was so poorly crafted, Arthur angrily told himself even he could do better, and promptly went out, purchased leather, tools and a sewing machine and proceeded to challenge himself to do just that. Leather belts led to handcrafted bags and then, chaps. Along the way Arthur feels he finally discovered the gift his grandfather predicted for him so many years ago.
When he first began building chaps, he says no one else could see his vision, but today, Arthur has a growing number of fans and feels he has discovered his own special medium in which the sky is the limit in terms of creativity.
His inspiration comes from the chaps makers of the 1800s who crafted a fashion statement even as they created a garment cowboys needed to protect themselves from the weather and endless hours in the saddle. Chaps were part of a functional and fashionable look that included handsome leather vests, saddles, hats and gun holsters. Arthur also credits television megastar Oprah Winfrey who he calls a fellow dreamer for motivating him to pursue his dream even when no one else understood it.
Because each pair of his chaps is hand sewn and embellished and Red Horse Chaps is a one-man artistic endeavor, Arthur warns would-be customers they must be patient and prepared to shell out upwards of $3,000 for a pair of Red Horse Chaps. He says the reward is a garment that speaks to their individual personality and represents his trademark of wearable art guaranteed to turn more than a few heads.
For more information contact us at: redhorsechaps@sbcglobal.net