2023 Art of the Cowgirl Fellowship Application

*** IF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES COMPLETING OR SUBMITTING THIS APPLICATION, PLEASE CONTACT JAIMIE STOLTZFUS AT JAIMIE@ARTOFTHECOWGIRL.COM

DEADLINE: March 31, 2023, recipient will be notified no later than April 30, 2023

Our Mission

The Art of the Cowgirl Fellowship Program will encourage, promote and invest in the development of emerging artists and makers engaged in the unique arts, trades, and horsemanship of the western lifestyle while celebrating tradition and inspiring innovation through mentorship from established leaders in their fields. Through this program, Art of the Cowgirl will foster creativity and will work to preserve traditional art techniques and functional gear.

The Fellowship Program is Tammy Pate’s original dream of providing an opportunity for western artists to work with masters-- a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn or refine their passion with some of the most talented makers in the business. Whether it be a fine art, functional trade or horsemanship, these fellowships will enrich, empower and educate while honoring our western heritage. The fellowship seeks to remove obstacles such as funding and access for up and coming artists, without restriction of age or location.

Program Details:

* Recipient may receive: supplies and materials, travel, room and board at Master’s location, travel expenses to Art of the Cowgirl event for presentation to be determined by Art of the Cowgirl

* Each recipient to have a completed piece of work or agreed upon task at conclusion of fellowship period

* Recipients will be required to complete fellowships in same calendar year as award received and present work at next Art of the Cowgirl event (must be completed in 2023 calendar year)

*Recipients will be required to sign contracts and releases before funds will be released

*Recipients will be required to donate an item to the 2024 Fellowship Art Auction (does not have to be piece completed during Fellowship)

* Recipients will be chosen by Fellowship Selection committee

Recipient Requirements:

* 18 years of age or older

* Open to both men and women

* Able to complete fellowship before Dec. 31st of the calendar year in which the award is provided.

* Able to attend and present work at Art of the Cowgirl January 2024 in Arizona

* Meet minimum skill and experience requirement as determined by Master

* While individuals may apply for fellowships more than once and more than one fellowship, selected recipients may not be awarded fellowship more than once

About Master Boot Maker Lisa Sorrell

Lisa Sorrell is an award winning artist working in the medium of leather. She
builds cowboy boots in her shop in Guthrie, working from flat pieces of leather
and the client’s measurements, and using hand tools and vintage machinery.
She maintains a portfolio of original designs and is well-known in the boot
making world for her design skills. She speaks, teaches, and writes; her book
“The Art of Leather Inlay and Overlay” is a textbook on the topic of creating art
with leather.

Raised in a conservative, small church where the ladies all wore long hair and
long dresses, she began sewing clothing at age 12 and by age 15 was sewing
clothing professionally. At age 20, newly married and transplanted to Oklahoma,
she answered an ad placed in the local newspaper for someone to “stitch boot
tops.” She’d never worn cowboy boots, didn’t realize that people could make
footwear, and never been around anyone who drank alcohol or swore. The
learning curve was steep but the craft of cowboy boot making beckoned as
destiny.

Lisa enjoys speaking about cowboy boots and cowboy boot making, and she
also teaches and writes on the topic of cowboy boots, footwear, and creating art
with leather.

Fellowship Details

Fellowship will consist of eight weeks in Lisa's studio in Guthrie, Oklahoma.  Lodging is a private bedroom with outside door, full bath, shared kitchen. *Please note this is a longer Fellowship of an eight week time commitment*

During the Fellowship, you will complete three pairs of boots. If boots are not completed during fellowship, all remaining materials will be sent home with student. *calf or kangaroo only- no exotics*

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR BOOT MAKING FELLOWSHIP:

1) Must have previous boot making experience. 

2) Must have basic skills and tools.

3) Physically capable of long days of work.