Arts in Focus on PBS Fort Wayne is funded in part by the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne.

Coming up, we'll talk with musician Daniel Vaides and leather worker Kelly Cole.

It's all next on Arts in Focus.

Welcome to Arts in Focus.

I'm Emily Henry.

Daniel Vaides grew up in a family of musicians which instilled in him a love for music at an early age.

After high school, Daniel's passion for music led him to pursue a music technology degree at the University of Saint Francis with a concentration in recording and production, live sound and postproduction.

Daniel has already gained music industry notice working with rising Fort Wayne Chicano band Los Aptos, as well as performing with his own band Los Galaxy.

We visited with Daniel at the University of Saint Francis Recording Studios to learn all about his blossoming career as a musician, engineer and producer.

Daniel, thank you so much for sitting down with me today.

I don't really know where to begin because you're so multi-talented.

But let's, I guess, start at the beginning.

When did you fall in love with music?

So I grew up at the church and my dad's a pastor, so there was a lack of musicians.

And you know how people come, they go from the church.

And luckily, my dad had us.

I have three older siblings, so my sister started to play the piano.

She's oldest one.

And then I followed with the drums because we just needed a drummer.

Yeah, exactly.

It just.

It just happens.

And then my brother, eventually my older brother started playing the drums as well.

And then I just started liking the piano a lot.

So I asked my sister, to help me out with some chords.

And, you know, like any sister, any sibling, it's always like, I'll just do the bare minimum.

I'll give you these chords now and then I'm done afterwards.

And so I had to kind of take that knowledge and just go into YouTube, take a deep dive into there, and just keep going.

You learned to play piano from just a little bit from your sister and then from YouTube?

Yeah, pretty much.

That's what a lot of people would do nowadays.

They're like, Oh, I learned from YouTube this and this and that.

I'm not saying that I learned a lot from YouTube, but definitely I definitely got some some knowledge from there.

Okay.

So at what point did you decide that your your love of music, your love of playing the piano and the drums and sort of being in that world was going to lead you to make major career choices.

Honestly, I didn't know being honest like I heard of Saint Francis and my sister was like, that would be a great school for you.

I started coming here my first couple of years and and I honestly didn't know.

And then until finally I made that made that reconnect with Juanito from Los Aptos.

And eventually we just started getting together at the studio, and then we started releasing these songs that eventually gained traction and now has over millions of streams.

And on YouTube it has millions of plays as well, and just kept on going.

And let's fill people in on some of those details.

So you went to school with or played soccer?

I did.

As a kid, I used to play soccer with this kid named Juanito.

He's part of Los Aptos, a Latin group here in Fort Wayne.

Yeah.

And you guys reconnected?

Exactly.

Yes.

And it was sort of like, hey, we both love soccer, but we also both love music.

Let's let's connect.

And now it's sort of like exploded.

For sure.

So in addition to piano, drums, you are at what you're going to school for is sound engineering and and production.

Did you always know that you had an interest in that side of music as well?

I guess growing up again at church, I loved the piano, I loved the music and just how it made me feel.

And I kind of wanted to experience that more and just get more involved with how it was created and that's why I kind of picked this school and just decided to do a deeper dive in that.

And then, like you said, it started exploding.

And here we are now.

Okay.

So I was watching all of these videos of you and your not just performance, but also production.

And I saw probably a whiteboard similar to the one right over here.

And you had piano and piano left, I think.

Piano, right.

And then you had different numbers.

And I'm thinking to myself, what does all of this mean?

It's fascinating to me because clearly it you are you're using all sides of your brain when it comes to the the engineering and all that.

Can you can you give me sort of insight into that?

I guess it's more about how you feel about music, how you want the experience to be for the consumer at the end of the day.

That really depends on on the sound of the instrument that you're picking on, how you might pick something up, the technique that you use and even how you mix it.

You know, you want the kick to to feel it in and your and your bones and your muscles.

So you're going to put the kick higher up in the mix.

You want the vocal to be smooth, you want it to feel elegant, so you do something like that to mix it.

And just so the consumer feels happy because at the end of the day, you want someone to be able to replay that song and make it memorable.

I feel like that's what really sticks with the crowd, what really sticks with the people and what really sticks for the future.

So what people I think don't realize when they listen to music and when they do sort of have that visceral reaction, they probably don't think about what goes into it on the back end.

Yeah.

How long has it taken you to really kind of get a feel for what what hits, what works with people?

Because clearly, based on the number of streams and all of that, people really like what you're doing.

Yeah, for sure.

I honestly, I'd say that I still haven't even mastered it.

You know, there's there's still a side of me that wants to continuously learn.

And I'm blessed to say that I still have a year left here at school.

Right.

Because I'm going to be a senior.

So I have a lot to learn and I'm going to try to take that experience with me.

But I say, like, just practice makes permanent, you know, that's what I live by, even for soccer.

You know, I feel like if you want to play good, you got to warm up.

You got to be ready, you know, practice every day.

And that's what I like to do on the keys to as much as I can.

I love to practice.

Sometimes I don't have enough time for it, but just and continuously being happy about it.

I feel like being motivated and just loving what I do really makes it easy for me to practice and, once again, practice makes permanent because I feel like that's what really makes an individual pop out.

And it's not.

It's their talent for sure, on the on the keyboard or whatever they play.

But it's also the aura, the personality that they bring to the stage and and how they once again, they make that consumer, they make the crowd react.

So are you planning on pursuing music like as a whole, as a producer, as an engineer, as a musician?

Or do you is there one certain facet that you really want to hone in on?

It's funny because I feel like people always ask like, What do you want to do after you leave?

What's your plan?

And I keep telling them I feel like my life can change at any moment right now where I'm going.

And once again, I'm blessed that I can say that.

But I guess I should definitely have a plan for how I'm going to keep going with what I'm doing.

And because it's been working out, you know, I've been having a good time.

Yeah.

You know, I think that maybe maybe that's the key is, is that you are just open to all of these possibilities.

Okay.

So what scares you the most about leaving school and sort of jumping into this this sea of possibilities?

If anything, that scares me, it's being alone.

You know, I feel like I've been with my family so much and I've been surrounded by them.

I don't really have a lot of family.

Most of my family's in Guatemala, but the family that I do have, I'm pretty close with them.

So I guess if anything, moving out to L.A., moving out to these different to these different places, it's just about being alone, you know?

That's what I'm scared of.

But I guess definitely I have to be open to that.

And that is what comes with this experience, you know, because when I'm on tour, I'm putting that out there.

I'm going to be on tour, you know.

But when I am on tour, when I'm producing this track in a different city, it's about just being able to continue my craft.

And when I'm alone or not, just enjoy it and make new experiences and new connections.

So from everything I've read, all of your professors, like everybody who knows you, says that you are an incredibly hard worker, which obviously is a huge component to your success.

However, how much do you feel like is innate talent, even when it comes to mixing and just knowing, knowing what?

What is going to sound good?

Is that just in you?

Is that innate?

Oh, I would say so.

Luckily, my parents always bring it up.

They're like, Yeah, your grandpa, your grandma from both sides played instruments.

They played LA Marimba, which is like this xylophone kind of marimba.

And I can play that too.

But then like they always told me, Yeah, your ancestors played music.

So I think it's just in your bloodline.

And I feel like I can definitely feel that, you know, like there's different people that for sure they have the talent.

But once again, it's like that aura, that personality that you have that really brings that talent to life.

And I think that I can say that I do have that naturally.

Do you have any sticking points?

Is there any part of of the business of of playing, of performing that feels difficult if anything?

I'd say it's time management.

Being being able to practice for hours on hours, cause that's what you need to do.

Then mixing a song, oh wait you need a meet with a client that wants to mix your song.

And don't forget about the groups that you're working with like Los Aptos.

My own band wants to record music as well.

Oh wait, you've got school work as well.

So you know, stuff like that is what's challenging.

But I feel like being on stage and and being able to mix and work with these clients and is is a way to escape.

You know, I think it is work, but it's it's more of a way to enjoy myself.

And I feel so grateful that I can say that that's that's incredible.

That's right there.

That that makes me go, oh, you're going to be so successful.

I mean, you already are.

Yeah.

You, I, I read that you said at this point in your life, you feel like nothing is impossible.

So if you were to write the story of your life, what does that look like?

What what are the really big dreams and goals?

You're going to go on tour You've already put that out there.

But what else?

I'd say playing at festivals, being able to travel and no worries.

And I say that like the record label is going to fly you out, you know?

Right.

I'm blessed to say also that, you know, they're like, oh, you know, we have an artist that's going to play Lollapalooza.

Do you want to come with us, Daniel?

And I'm like, of course I want to go with you guys.

Yeah, exactly.

You know, and you know, I can do that, stuff like that.

And I think that's what it looks like, me gigging a lot, me taking these opportunities as a mixer engineer and just growing more and seeing the world.

Because obviously you haven't seen a lot of it because I'm just a Fort Wayne boy, you know?

So yeah, I'm looking forward to that.

What has music taught you about yourself?

Wow, that's a good question.

We're going to get deep for just a minute.

I think it's taught me to be real.

If anything, I feel like a track that really speaks to to someone.

It's because they can relate to it.

And I think that that can work through any business, you know, social media or whatnot.

People like a certain video.

People can rewatch a certain video because it's relatable.

I feel like if anything, that's what music has taught me.

And and just to be more, more sensitive, more genuine, a song that can really attract someone because there's something in his voice that just makes you cry, makes you want to dance.

It's it's just something that you feel, you know?

And I think that's what music has taught me.

Your passion is palpable.

And I was so excited to talk to you today because I feel like this is this is just the beginning.

You know, you're going to you're going to do really, really big things.

And I can't wait to watch.

So thank you for taking just a little snippet of time to sit down with us today.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, guys.

For more information, find Daniel Vaides on Instagram.

I'm joined now by artist Kelly Cole.

Kelly, thank you for being here.

I realized as I was introducing you.

I just call you artist.

But is there a specific name for what you do, leather worker?

I don't know what is?

Yeah, that's a great question.

Leather craftsman, crafts woman.

Okay, I love that.

Yeah.

Tell me when you first started making art with leather?

It was about 18 years ago, is when I started.

I transition from basketball and all sports into a more artistic realm of my life and lifestyle, and that's when I started kind of dabbling in it.

And my mother was working at a leather shop.

And so I kind of started to follow in that foot step and started to kind of apprentice under her.

And then another gentleman who ran the shop and started to learn slowly.

And it just, I, I really enjoyed it.

So it stuck.

So what about the material itself made you say, I want to work with that.

I want to make art from it?

Mm hmm.

I think because it's a natural product and it's just it's rugged in a way.

We've always said unforgiveable.

Like when you're pounding on leather, like, it's you can't erase it.

So there's something permanent about it, too, as well that I've always really admired and kind of respected too as well.

That was going to be one of my questions.

Do you have anxiety before you start?

Because you know, there's kind of no turning back.

Yeah.

You know, you just make a lot of mistakes.

And are they just happy accidents or.

Yeah.

I mean, I can integrate.

Yeah.

Or how do you how do you handle it?

Sometimes when I'm the specifically the art of tooling on the leather, you can kind of hide it, but not always.

And then when you get into the dyeing process, sometimes you can't.

So you just start over.

When you're sewing, there's definitely imperfections in the leather you can't hide.

So you just start over and you market as a second or a clearance item or something like that.

When you do art shows and different, you know, people love sales.

So but yes, I'm one of those people.

So I do want to talk about your process, but before we get there, tell me a little bit more about getting into it.

So you apprenticed and then did I read you you went to Arizona.

And tell me that.

So I kind of I worked for several years at a little shop in Nashville, Indiana, which is still running very it's an amazing shop.

And they do all handmade leather goods.

And so then I ended up going out into Jerome, Arizona, to run the same companies shop out there.

So it was a sister shop.

So there was a connection there that that made it an easy transition.

And I ran that shop for a few years out there and had a great experience, a whole nother level of the art, but also business too as well.

So in addition to running the shop, are you creating what you are selling at that point?

I am one of the creators, not the only sole one.

Yeah.

Still seamstresses back in Indiana, we're making things and we had some out there too, as well.

Wow.

Now, having gone from sports, especially collegiate sports, into this new artistic world, did you have to learn all new skills?

Did you know how to sew?

Did you know I mean, was it all completely foreign to you or did you have some of the skills working up to it?

It was all new pretty much, I feel like.

I mean, I didn't dabble much into art at all.

So the sewing was a lot later and that was a new skill that slowly developed.

But it was more starting with the tooling and belt making and some of the more primitive basic forms of the leather creating, I guess I would say, and then kind of move on from there.

Tell me about tooling.

What what is the process?

What do you how do you begin?

Mm hmm.

It's just taking a rawhide piece of the russet leather before it's ever dyed.

It is treated by, like a tannery or hide house and wetting it and different artists, perhaps some different process.

And then because its wet you can then stamp and like indent all different designs you can carve with like a knife kind of.

It'd be like a leather specific tooling knife.

Yeah.

And create whatever designs you want based upon the stamping tools, designs and stuff like that, or just by hand.

What you want to create too as well.

Do you have to really think through a design knowing that it is unforgiving?

Yeah.

Are you really thinking it through or do you sort of just go with it?

Yeah.

What is that mental process like?

Because to me that would be too much anxiety, I think.

I think that's a really good question.

And I think as time went, I just I would just create I just would.

And then I think that was the beauty of how why I enjoyed it, because there was no set way I had to do it.

I kind of would measure out a couple of holes and then I just go and create and I mean, it would sequence, but I would just create throughout like maybe one one inch pattern and then duplicate it or something like that.

Yeah, they were all so one of a kind and I would go back and I'll duplicate things for customers, but usually I just start tooling and just see what happens and just kind of create it as Yeah, just see what happens now after the tooling process, then you dye is that correct?

So tell me how that works.

So I just use a it's a specific leather, I use an oil base dye and you use some water and sponging and there's different technique with that.

And then you just dye it and then you have to let it dry.

And then there's I buff it out so it makes it more shiny and it kind of sets it.

And then after that there's a waxing and then there's what you call an antiquing.

So that's this like kind of a black gel that sets into the leather.

So it kind of makes that design pop.

Sure, it shows up a little bit more.

So let's say you're doing a belt start to finish.

How long does that typically take, especially knowing that you have to.

There are lots of steps.

Yeah.

So a tooled belt would probably an hour to an hour and a half for one full one start finish.

And I don't ever usually do it that way because I do it more in runs.

But I think I've averaged out I've tried to average out about an hour and a half now after the dyeing process, what happens next?

Then the antiquing and then drying and then there's some buffing on the edges and then you kind of you then you measure it out depending on size.

And this might be a really stupid question, but I don't know.

So I'm going to ask.

Okay.

Again, so you're making will say a bracelet this time.

Are you does the bracelet come to you and then you stamp or are you making the bracelet?

Are you sewing and doing the clasp and that type of thing?

Right.

No, that's a good question.

You don't know how you put the snaps on it.

I do all the manufacturing parts to my products.

So.

So, yeah.

So at the very end of the belt, which is a good question or the bracelet I put like the snap on it or the buckle, the keeper, the rivets to attach it all in the finished product.

Yeah, I order those parts and then I manufacture it at the end.

Yeah, that's a good question.

So how much of what you do is just what you think is beautiful and how much is commissioned work?

How much is it people coming to you and saying, this is specifically what I have in mind.

I've gotten away from custom work quite a bit over the years just for my time aspect.

So I just do mainly all creative kind of standard process, standard products that have just been classic sellers over the years.

And then I do art shows and some website, but I just kind of show up and I'm like, This is what I've got.

Yeah.

And then I'll take some commission work as off season when I have a little bit more free time.

I thought it was so interesting to read that you very specifically decided when you moved back to Indiana that you didn't want a brick and mortar and that you really did want to kind of travel around.

What was the impetus for that decision?

I think because I had seen the ebb and flow of a shop and just having a storefront is so many blessings.

And but there's also a lot of stressors and hardship in the sense of month to month.

And you're you're solid, you're there, you stay there.

And I think to me, I thought this is a good opportunity for me to be transitional and to be able to travel and do the art shows.

It was just another piece of being an entrepreneur that I was like, Let's just try it out.

That's why not give it a shot because it's a you can.

And I mean, there's always a start and end to most things.

Sure.

Tell me what your favorite type of piece is to make.

Do you have a favorite?

I think I would go back to the original thing I started making was belts.

I just still love doing belts and bracelets.

So and I've seen your picture frames and what makes you try something new?

Do you get bored or is it just a curiosity or how do you continue to try new things?

Yeah, when I can kind of tap into the more creative realm for me.

Like I'll just kind of think of like what other is a functional piece of art that somebody could somewhat functionally use, but also just esthetic too.

And I'll just kind of think and think and then maybe a year passes and I finally make it and then it starts to sell and I'll start producing it more and more, and then I'll kind of be like, okay, this is kind of a staple product that I can see in the business.

I don't tend to just make it and then stop, and then I try to find solid pieces that I can continue to kind of make.

That would be interesting to people.

Sure.

And functional.

Functional is also a big part of me.

Well, I guess that makes a lot of sense because if you're going to use a material like leather, then by all means it should be functional as well.

You've mentioned, you know, running a business and being an entrepreneur.

Does that take some of the joy out of it or is that why you do it?

Because you want to get your your art into the world.

I like that part of it.

I really do.

I think that's kind of more the drive of me to the business part that I think I don't want to just make it and look at it and create my own.

Like I want other people to enjoy it and to use it, like to sell it and get rid of it so I can make more like I like that process.

And the business part is, is challenging, but it's I just really enjoy that part of it too.

Over the years, what do you think you've learned the most about your craft and about yourself?

That is a good question.

The craft is ever changing.

I think that I have so much to learn as a leather worker and I will always I think because there's so many art festivals and other artists I come into contact with that just do amazing.

And I'm like, I have no idea how they do all that.

Yeah, because it's a different method, it's different leather, it's a different product.

And I can, I can learn so much from other artists and their process and how they work with leather because it's so different and there's just so many different styles to it.

And I hope to evolve as time goes and I've learned about myself is that what started as maybe like a filler in my life became such a core piece of a value that is in my life to have just as an artist.

And I think I've learned that it's just it's something that I am so appreciative that kind of fell into my life, but then has remained a consistent no matter what season I've been in, I've always kind of fallen back onto leather working.

It's just been it's been really good.

Kelly, you have been so delightful.

I think your journey is amazing and your work is beautiful.

And I really appreciate you taking the time to sit down with me today.

Thank you.

It's a pleasure.

I really appreciate it.

For more information, visit Lilly Pistol Leather dot com.

Our thanks to Daniel Vaides and Kelly Cole.

Be sure to join us next week for Arts in Focus.

You can catch this and other episodes at PBS Fort Wayne dot org or through our app.

In the meantime, enjoy something beautiful.

Arts in Focus on PBS Fort Wayne is funded in part by the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne.