Meet Ryan N | Craftsman

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

Hi Ryan, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
The work life balance is an interesting concept. I’ve recently listened to an interview that threw the concept on its head. Instead of looking at it as something we have to achieve and then keep that balance, it’s more dynamic than that. Think about a tightrope walker, they don’t just find their balance and go. They have to work for it the entire time. The balance in the middle of the rope will not be the same as it will be near the ends. It has to be something that is always in a state of flux. In our busier times of work, we need to focus more on work and a little less on life. If we keep the same balance that worked in a light workload season, we’re going to be thrown off. With that being said, if you’re in a busy season and just need a day off, take a day off!

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.
Leather is definitely not my first medium to work in. I’ve previously had experience in woodworking and metalworking. I moved into leathercrafting about a year ago and found that the skills I’ve picked up along the way have been immensely helpful in moving my craft forward. Of course, there have been many mistakes and mishaps along the way learning to work with leather. I always joke that “being good” at something is 10% actually being good at it, and 90% being good at hiding your mistakes. As long as you can learn from those mistakes, your skills will continue to improve.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Downtown Phoenix has some wonderful food and drink establishments to offer. Too many to name a favorite. Most of the year the weather is perfect for patio sitting and I like to take advantage of that as much as possible. Even just a walk around downtown can offer a quick adventure. With all the new construction, there’s always something new to check out!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Not to sound too cliche, but I’d like to give a shoutout to my amazingly talented wife who also understands the work life balance dilemma. We’re both in a busy season at the moment (currently prepping for the Spring 2022 Tempe Festival of the Arts). We try to encourage each other to take the time to work when inspiration strikes, no matter what time of day it is or what else needs to be done.

Website: kumaleathercraft.com

Instagram: kumaleathercraftHQ

Image Credits
RYN films IG – ryn.films