Diane Louise Paul is a self-taught leather artisan who creates beautiful, long-lasting handcrafted leather items that become valued treasures. She makes each item by hand from English bridle leather, focusing on pre-Civil War objects.
Using traditional tools and techniques, she cuts, stitches, and finishes each object with beeswax and other natural products. She cuts the leather without patterns, so no two pieces are the same. She enjoys working with leather because of its warmth, beauty, and unique markings and variations.
Paul has lived in North Hampton, New Hampshire, a small town on the seacoast called North Hampton NH, for 50 years. She is a member of the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen and was among the artisans featured in the 75th Anniversary documentary, “A League of Our Own,” about the League. She is also a member the Seacoast Growers’ Association farmers’ market. In her free time she trained horses and goes antiquing in search of antique bells and leather tools.
Paul is fascinated by the history and longevity of antique items. A descendant of Mayflower passenger Thomas Rogers, she is a member of the national societies of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Ranger Chapter of Portsmouth, and the Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America. She has been featured on WMUR’s “New Hampshire Chronicle” and “Cross Roads.”
The deadline for submitting entries for the 2021 Directory of Traditional American Crafts has past. All entries we have recevied are being processed and will be submitted to the jurors for anonymous judging. The 2021 Directory will appear in the August 2021 edition of Early American Life. Please do not call us. We cannot report on the status of any particular entry until the Directory is published..
1,954 days until America's Sestercentennial
Coming Up This Weekend
Many events listed on our calendar have been postponed or cancelled as a precaution to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, now a pandemic. If you must (or choose) to attend an event, we suggest you call and verify that it will be taking place as planned.
Subscribers' Notes
Our April 2021 edition has been printed on schedule and is on its way to all of our subscribers. Because of the Covid-19 situation, postal delivery has been spotty. Some subscribers who have renewed may find renewal notices attached to their issues even if they have recently renews. Please excuse this error. Email us at subscribe@firelandsmedia.com if you suspect you have had a delivery problem—because our offices remained closed for the protection of our staff, we cannot answer telephone queries at this time.
All new web subscriptions will start with the April 2021 issue. Please email us at subscribe@firelandsmedia.com if you have other subscription requirements.