BYU-Idaho Radio · Saddle Making Apprenticeship Award
A Rexburg native is among the winners of Idaho’s annual Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Awards.
The Idaho Commission on the Arts has awarded three master artists and their apprentices $3,000 each to go toward their learning.
Apprentice Lewis Kendell of Rexburg and mentor Chase Carter of Pingree were awarded the grant for the art of saddle making.
Kendell was inspired to go into saddle making by his family. His family has been in ranching for generations. When his father was 16 years old, he was given a quality set of harnesses by his grandfather, which he still uses to this day. Seeing his father’s love for quality harnesses has given Kendell the desire to build saddles for himself and others.
Kendell met Chase Carter when a friend of his ordered a saddle from Carter. Carter needed some extra help with his work, and Kendell was more than willing to help. Now with the help of the grant, Carter can take time to teach Kendell the art of saddle making.
As a mentor, Carter loves seeing people be surprised at what they can do.
“I like to see people excel beyond their expectations and it’s neat to see people gain that confidence,” Carter said.