Our Story
My Passion for being a leather artist started early in life, and I quickly started making bags at the age of ten. Over the years other things seem to take place of my craftsmanship, but the life and loss of my brother, and our love for rodeo renewed my passion for leather and making bags.
I became a maker of only custom bags in 2012. Making and sewing everything by hand was both rewarding and challenging but left my bags with a high price tag. There are many people here in Santa Fe that can afford a $3500 bag, but I felt a need to not only make custom bags, but also affordable bags for everyday users like you and me. To do that I realized that I had to make it a legit business with a real shop and equipment.
From “Lew Lewis Leather smith” to Marked Out Leatherworks. Marked Out, pertains to a bareback or saddle bronc rider, and they are required to keep the spurs in contact with the horse’s shoulders until the horse’s front feet hit the ground after the first jump out of the chute. My oldest brother Paul was a bareback rider, and he appreciated the leather trade and the importance of it. The name Marked Out is a tribute to my brother as a bareback rider, and my love of rodeo. Paul had a “cowboyism” sense of humor, and he told me one day after a ride… ”Bro if you’re going to last more than 8 seconds, grab some leather.” I sure do miss him.
The Team
Lew Lewis
Maker, designer, cool equipment buyer, check signer, toilet cleaner.
Punky
Studio snoozer. Full-time heart thief. Punky is the four-legged soul of Marked Out—equal parts grit and goof. She’s there for every sunrise leather pull and every sundown stroll, reminding us what loyalty, instinct, and untamed joy really looks like. When she’s not patrolling the perimeter, Punky’s curled up at the workshop’s edge, keeping the rhythm steady and spirits high.
She’s more than a mascot—she’s family.
Amanda Carrillo
Lew’s much needed assistant, designer, photographer, social media coordinator, e-commerce, packaging, shipping, bookkeeping, supply technician, coordinating engineer, travel planner, event planner, sponsorship coordinator, scheduler… I could go on but, if you haven’t figured out, we couldn’t do it with out her. (I just realized that I should give her a raise!)
Lynn Lopez-Duquette
Awwwe! My oldest daughter that’s been involved and/ or around my businesses since she was 16. Her ability to manage and start any project is what every business owner needs. Whether it’s fixing the website or loading the retail trailer… we can count on her getting it done. She makes me proud every day.
Emily Munoz
Little “M” with a big personality. She came to me ready to go with her cowgirl boots and buckle on. Emily is a self-starter with a lot of potential. She manages all of our social media and photography and always has a smile. We’re blessed to have her.
Diana Aparicio
Custom Embroidery Technician
She brings quiet strength to every step of the process. Whether she’s stitching, painting, gluing, or pressing patterns into place, her care shines through. She’s steady, and thoughtful—adding warmth to the craft and heart to the workspace. She’s the calm in the creative storm, and sweeter than of us put together. We’re lucky to have her.
Ada
Every shop needs someone to provide a sense of humor and she handles my dry humor very well. Ada works in our design & assembly and has a very good sense for making the colors work with our designs. She has proven to be the “pick- up woman” in our shop. She has an interest in learning every part of the trade and has quickly become an asset to Marked Out.
Marked Out is committed to support PRCA and local Rodeo events, its athletes, and Miss Rodeo Pageantry. We believe that rodeo is the last God-fearing family event in America.
Marked Out Leatherworks is a family and veteran owned business that is still designing, cutting, sewing and making all our bags in our own shop right here in Santa Fe, NM US of A. We strive to use products and leather sourced here in America. Our quality and service will gain your trust in our products and our ethics and will support everything we stand for.
