Lisa Sorrell makes Custom Cowboy Boots in Guthrie, Oklahoma. I watched a story about her on Discover Oklahoma and was amazed at the art. Sorrell designs and builds each pair of custom made boots. It takes a month or longer for her to make each pair of boots that have a starting price of $3,500.00.
She grew up in Missouri and West Virginia, part of a conservative little church similar to a Mennonite church where the ladies all wear long hair and long dresses. Her mother began teaching me to sew when she was 12, and by 15, she was sewing professionally for the ladies in her church. At 20, she married her husband Dale and they moved from Missouri to Guthrie, Oklahoma, because that’s where he found a job.
After six months in a three room apartment, she got bored and answered an ad in the newspaper for 'stitching boot tops.' She had no idea what that was and had never worn cowboy boots. From there, Sorrell started to use her sewing skills in entirely new ways.
In March 2010, Sorrell won a gold metal for her “If We Make It Through December” boots in the very exclusive international competition, "Inter-Schuh Services (ISS 2010)," hosted by the Central Association of German Shoemakers. She was one of 50 selected entrants from around the world.
Lisa Sorrell will be at the
Smithsonian Craft Show
Washington,DC
April 19-22, 2012
Celebrating the Creative Spirit of America
30th Anniversary
Featuring 121 artists, including 44 first-time exhibitors
2011 award winners juried into the 2012 show
National Building Museum
Washington, DC
The Smithsonian Craft Show is produced by the Smithsonian Women’s Committee to support education, outreach and research at the Smithsonian Institution.
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