About Eirewolf Creations

Eirewolf Creations offers unique handmade leather masquerade masks, eye patches, jewelry, and accessories for costumes and everyday wear, all designed and crafted by artisan Erin Metcalf.

The artist of Eirewolf Creations, Erin Metcalf, modeling her Great Horned Owl mask.

Eirewolf Creations started with a sculpture class in my mid-20s. I was always creative, but until I started sculpting little maquettes of critters in that fateful class, I didn’t know how naturally 3-dimensional art came to me. One of my very first critters was a whimsical little howling wolf pup, which reminded my sculpture professor of his favorite dog from childhood. He liked it so much, he commissioned me to make a larger-than-life sculpture for him! That was the beginning of my art business.

For several years I continued to sculpt — mostly fantasy creatures like dragons and unicorns, and a species I dreamed up called Dragon Snails. They were fun and fulfilling, and I still love my little critters… but a desire was growing to make wearable masquerade masks and work with leather. I had seen leather masks at Renaissance Fairs before, but had no idea how they were made. It seemed like some strange alchemy that would certainly require special equipment and a workshop. Then one day I found a tutorial online… and discovered that I didn’t have to be a magician to learn this craft! I bought a side of leather and a few basic tools, and I haven’t looked back since.
 

Eirewolf Creations art studio workspace, where Erin makes all the pretty things!

 

I love working with leather. I love transforming a material that once belonged to something living — a byproduct of the food industry that might otherwise be discarded — and making it come alive again in a beautiful new incarnation. Cow hide becomes a raven, a cat, a wolf, a dragon — and allows a person to “transform” into that animal as well, for a time, while they wear the mask. Or it becomes a piece of jewelry, or a vessel, and helps a person express their unique style.

Leatherworking has a gentle but endless learning curve — it doesn’t take much to get started, but there is always more to learn! I am constantly learning new techniques and looking for ways to improve my craft and take it to the next level. I tend to get bored if I know everything about a topic, but leatherworking is a skill that has the potential to hold my interest for the rest of my life.  I love figuring out new ways to approach a classic concept like "mask" or “bracelet” or “purse,” and making something unique and beautiful that a person with great taste would be proud to wear.

While I continue making masks and eye patches, I am also branching out with my craft and making cuff bracelets, armor-inspired leather jewelry, pouches and purses, and other accessories for costumes and everyday wear.

Watch my shop for new designs! 

Find me online at Instagram, Pinterest, deviantART, and Etsy!