Mitchell Riley | Antler River Leather

Mitchell Riley, first nations art, indigenous artist, leatherwork, pass the feather.

Mitchell Riley

Mitchell Riley

Chippewas of the Thames First Nation

My name is Mitchell A. Riley, I am from Chippewas of the Thames First Nation located in South Western Ontario. I am an Indigenous artist and leatherworker. I specialize in a certain type of leatherwork that is uncommon to the pow wow trail.

Mitchell Riley, leatherwork, Indigenous Artist, First Nations, Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada, Pass The Feather

My hands carve original leather designs into vegetable tan leather, as well as specialize in a unique style of regalia belts using what I know about designing floral style beadwork and applying it to the leather carvings. My background is Ojibwe and I grew up on the reserve learning a lot about crafts from my Grandfather at a very young age. In 2015, I started to get back into the craft work and travel the pow wow trail. In recent years, I have expanded my crafting knowledge to include traditional and modern leatherwork. I hope to one day travel to a leather studio in Toronto to learn how to make leather shoes and boots from other leather professionals in the shoe industry.