Samantha Dankert is a self taught leather artist.  She and her husband started 'tinkering' with leather and decided to make Christmas gifts with their first experiments.  Which led to selling online and eventually a full fledged studio was built for their business: Beargrass Leather.  Samantha has a home studio in Lakeside, MT overlooking beautiful Flathead Lake.  She draws inspiration from not only the gorgeous natural landscapes that surround her, but the confidence and panache of western men and women.  She also looks at high fashion design icons to create classic, timeless styles.  Before Samantha was a leather artist, she grew up in a small town in Michigan and entered every art contest her teachers threw at her.  During college she made her way through flight school and earned a commission as a Navigator in the US Air Force.  When she started her family she left her flying career and made her long awaited path into art. 

Samantha crafts each piece of leather as a bespoke functional 'objet d'art'.  Using old world techniques and modern aesthetics to bring hand crafted into everyday.  She uses hand tools, hand-stitching, leather lining, edge paint, hair on hide, American bison, cowhide, suede, wool, etc. Specializing in handbags, select clothing, and accessories that symbolize the modern west.