© 2003 LD Cresson

Traditional filigree circa 1860) from the library of
CT Chappell

Being a bootmaker is a matter of persistence, 200% persistence, and of course 100% artistic talent. Ms. Cresson was drawn to western boot design and building as a natural sequence of her fine art background, and many years of technical computer work as an analyst and trainer. She taught multimedia and digital design/imaging in the Information Technologies Division at New York University for more than 10 years. Working in leather, on unique designs, is a natural progression combing fine art, technical production and the 3D-thinking skills needed in boot making. It is the closest thing to wearable architecture -- a good fitting cowboy boot with a 2-inch heel. I find it is most satisfying to create something the customer will value more than the latest computer software or hardware technology. This work is even more important because footwear has changed in the last several decades and fits people differently.

After making shoes on her own during the 1980s as a form of sculpture, Lisa began to take an interest in decorated footwear, including cowboy boots, which she collected avidly throughout her life. Her first boot making class was with a retired bootmaker named "Hutch" in Denver Colorado. This master was a fourth generation boot maker who worked for his father as a youth. Next, she studied with WIld Bill, in Granby, Connecticut, whose specialty was the most finely crafted and equitably detailed top designs. And most recently, she worked with the award willing bootmaker Carlton Chappell, of St. Jo, Texas.
Mr. Chappell learned boot making from his father, and is one of the few bootmakers whose designs continue to feature the original artistic elements used in the first cowboy boots. Mr Chappell is so artistic, other bootmakers with the same experience, often refer to his work with awe, and explain the differences between their work with the catch-alll phrase "Well, Carl Chappell... well, Carl's a REAL artist." Aside from Carl, and Wild Bill, most of the American Cowboy bootmakers have a self-adjusted boot making method that is convenient, using different steps for fitting and making than the original, quality, English bespoke method.

Ms. Cresson knew early on, she wanted more information and skills in the original historic techniques, rising above the shortcuts often used by local custom bootmakers. She accords all due respect to the bootmakers featured in the "Art of the Boot" book by Sharon Delao, which include Paul Bond, the Lucchese and Tony Lama brands, and many others. Especially admiring Ferragamo in this group because this footwear designer designed around the heel but balanced the foot and kept to graceful proportions. The difference is that few others cared to study the original shoemaking methods in England, learning from peers and using a mix of hand and factory methods. Today, we forget back in mid-1880s imported goods from europe were special, and the best fabrics and some of the best footwear came from England. Even the American Civil War soldier boots were made on imported English brand "Walkenphast" (walking-fast) lasts which were famous for comfort as mentioned in Stanley Brinkerhoff's "Boots and Shoes of the Frontier Soldier."

Shoe and boot designs begin on the last, and are prefected in two-dimensions as flat patterns -- and with cowboy boots an additional top designs. Ms. Cressons' own designs are created from photographs, yet include the traditional motifs and inlay treatments with top stitching. Using the print production experience from work at New York University, she is able to create detailed previews, incorporating scanned drawings and custom sized patterns. Once the design is finished, a master pattern for the leather is created, and then transferred to the top leather to begin the cutting, sewing and positioning colored inlay leathers. The final step of boot making is to modify the last, and form the sewn top to over the last, forming the toe, and lastly attaching sole and heel.

In between measuring customers and designing top patterns, Ms. Cresson is currently working on a pedorthic certification training materials project and hopes to be a certified pedorthist in 2008. She continues to document the original, bespoke, nail-free techniques for making all types of footwear, as well as design for American western boots.

Ms. Cresson received a fine arts fellowship to Long Island University's Southampton Campus, where she received a BFA with honors. A gifted, realist painter, she studied and painted in the American and French impressionist and expressionist painting techniques from 1800-1970s; and also studied photography with renowned portrait and landscape photographer Robert Giard. (www.RobertGiardFoundation.org.) A second fellowship with stipend to The City University's City College for a Masters in Museum Studies/Art History, brought her to New York City. Soon thereafter, Ms. Cresson worked at The Parrish Art Museum, assisting the Director and coordinating childrens' and public programs in the Education department. She also worked as a freelance photographer for the Southampton Press, and was assigned to community events ranging whose candid photos were celebrities like Billy Joel , Ann Landers, Candice Bergen or local community events like the Hampton Classic Horse Show, including the local Civil War Reenactment group or Rotary Club fundraisers.