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Artist Graham Ebner makes mind-blowingly stunning cowboy boots [1]

['Jennifer Sandlin']

Date: 2024-07-02  

Austin, Texas-based artist Graham Ebner makes the most gorgeous, intricate luxury cowboy boots. They're absolute stunning! I wonder if the folks who commission the boots actually wear them or just put them on display? I'd have a hard time wearing such beautiful works of art!

On his website, Ebner describes himself and his work:

Armed with an obsession for footwear in general, he started an apprenticeship with a long-standing cowboy boot shop in 2017. After four years of intensive education alongside excellent mentors he opened a shop under his own name in 2021. Graham operates a low-volume shop with intention on top-quality workmanship and intensive design. His boots range from archetypal cowboy boots with tall tops and fancy stitching to heavily inlaid motif displaying any scene imaginable. Graham's boots are meant to be worn but made to stand up in their own right as multidisciplinary art. Graham's boots are on the feet of people in business and craft all over the world, from the East and West coasts of the U.S. to Australia and Germany. He is currently based in Austin, Texas. His favorite color is yellow.

Ebner posts images and videos of the boots he makes on his Instagram. One of my favorite pairs features scenes depicting folk hero lumber jack Paul Bunyan and Babe, his blue ox. The Paul Bunyan figure wears his signature red shirt, and even sports chainstitch embroidered furry chest "hair" made by Fort Lonesome. Here are some videos showing the process of making the Paul Bunyan boots.

Here's another gorgeous pair that look like coral snakes, and here are some featuring colorful flowers. Finally, here's a pair featuring a desert scene that Ebner describes like this:

I've never had more fun making something as I did making these. From the illustration and design to the actual cutting and sewing they really pulled me out of my comfort zone. I'm very hard on myself when critiquing my work and these are no exception but I am very proud of these. These represent the level of work I can product and the kind of work I most enjoy. Thank you all for the kind words as I made these and I hope you enjoy looking at them ( and please share them!).



Sandra Elena Canyon scene from Big Bend NP. Airborne visitors arrive, harvest magic mushrooms from prickly pear cacti, decide to take home a happy armadillo. Tractor beam, orange sherbet sky.



Bone baby calf tops with kangaroo, ostrich, calf, baby calf, and kid. Peanut calf vamps, small box toe, 1 7/8" heel, toe turtle, antique brown finish.

To learn more about Graham Ebner and about bootmaking more broadly, check out his website or Instagram, or watch this great interview.

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