"New Wineskins, The Leather Magicians" evolved out of a seed, the idea of using the divinely endowed creature energizes to sustain ones life without compromising integrity and freedom of movement. Therefor "New Wineskins" is not based on a product, but an idea of how to maintain self-affirmation, self-determination, integrity and fulfillment of my reason for being on earth. Staying true to self, creating and producing a product through which I might transfer into life's sustenance and uphold my part in society as a responsible,benevolent citizen.

My history includes seven memorable and precious years at Hesston & Goshen Mennonite colleges and The Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries. The naming of my business: "New Wineskins" was taken in 1972. The lesson Jesus taught through the use of that term has been real with me,existentially. New wine symbolizes, new life (Divine). The wineskin (leather) symbolizes our bodies, just as the active and fermenting literal wine will overwhelm and burst the older, brittle leather wine bag, loosing both bag and content. So will it be with the Pretender who tries to embrace the new wine of consciousness. These same old brittle life-paths: ie old wineskins give way for new wineskins/for new life paths.New for new! New conciseness housed in new life-styles. Doing what the spirit say, do, be what the spirit say be.The new wine (life) infused me with an insatiable appetite to create and build a quality product and be real.

In 1972, "New Wineskins" was chartered and registered as a solely owned corporation, with the mission statement - producing written material, poster graphics, candle creations,food stuff, such as live-stock,poultry, produce, and publishing. In search of marketable products, leather was the final medium that I tried. In 1973, I met the Surak brothers and their father. They operated a family owned and constructed tannery. They had been run from their home in Czechoslovakia by the Russian Government. Their tannery was located on Chicago's near north side at Webster and Clyborne. This started my acquaintance with leather. I proceeded to teach myself this craft and acquired the appropriate machinery and tools. Now began the search for markets that I would not be ran away from. This lead to street fairs and then the newly emerging Renaissance Fairs.

The first Renaissance Fair that I participated in was in an open corn field in a southern Chicago suburb in the month of july. I forget the name of the festival, if it even had one. During this time, I was sharing the keeping of my three children; Joy, David and Curtis III (My son Prince was yet to be born). While they were with me, I taught them "the drill": how to produce, sell, and endure the hardships of all this pioneering and journeying from show to show and state to state in weather conditions both good and difficult. They learned well and have acquired skills for life that will sustain themselves and their children. It has now been a continuous , un-broken 30 years of working to build a worthy dream and deposit a legacy for posterity.

The Renaissance Festivals that I have done over the years are the following : King Richards (then located in Gurnee IL) Now called Bristol ( Kenosha WI), Texas Renaissance Faire (Plantersville TX), Minnesota Renaissance Fair (Shakopee MN).Once, but no longer, the Georgia Renaissance Fair (outside Atlanta GA) and the failed Virginia Renaissance Fair (Fredericksburg VA). I'm open to do more fairs, but this is limited by the lack of the availability of qualified candidates for "Leather Magicians".Over the 30 years of my Renaissance Fair sojourning, I've trained dozens of people to do the craft and/or selling and sales techniques. But, alas not many, like myself, stay to make a "career" of this semi "nomadic " sustainable life-style. There are no job opportunities with New Wineskins. But there are windows of opportunities through training and education in a new life-style/path. To whosoever will, let them come to explore an alternative existence who's foundation is ones own inherited potential. As apprentice in the New Wineskins school, the student must be dissatisfied and discontent with their status quo. They must want to be free: to travel America, free from the prey of bounty hunters(that is "the arm of the law"), free and willing to face the absence of the comforts of home, free and willing to build a new life, free and willing to submit to the diligence and discipline of learning a craft to the point of excellence and marketability, free and willing to greet the patrons and present and sell the products which you have participated in making.

Chicago is my home base. For the past 30 years, I have used my basement for my workshop, this was in keeping with my concept of creating a home industry, a grass roots nickel and nail do it your self economy. Having been a community minded person, I located my home in this area of my ministry. This community is located on the mid-South East side of Chicago. The Eastern boundary is Lake Michigan. This community is known as North Kenwood Oakland. An area in contention for Black removal gentrification. My work had been occupied as a Mennonite pastor and finally the CEO of the Kenwood, Oakland Community Organization. Myself along with 5 other ministers from 5 community churches, out of our social concern, put together the rudiments of that organization, including its name. Those ministers and churches were: Herbert Eaton: Kenwood United Church of Christ, Paul Rosemyer: Saint Ambrose Catholic Church, William Griffin: Christ the King Luthern Church, Phil Hardy: Saint James Methodist Church, Delton Franz/Curtis E. Burrell Jr.: The Woodlawn Mennonite Church. Of these, I alone remain until this date, a resident, being symbiotically attached to the well being of the neighbor hood, carrying out the basic concerns we had originally: Improving the lives, and enriching the quality of life of the residents. It has been made manifested to me, that, that which the church and the community organizations have been short of accomplishing, I have proceeded to do in microcosm. I'm convinced that the failure of these institutions to bring about sustainable social improvements is largely do to its lack of freedom to become self renewing individuals who inspire the same in others by being and showing it. The poverty and social ills being addressed stay locked in place within those who are characterized as "victims". There is no offensive-energy with in either of these two institutions which can penetrate "the welfare mentality".

As I see it, poverty and woefulness remain fortified and protected from escape through temporary, ethereal , euphorically named benign governmental and private programs which are limited to "giving a man a fish". These programs prove fraudulent and end in perpetual dependency and disappointments.

New Wineskins targets that trigger-point within the individual consciousness which teaches the disciple technique and philosophy of fishing: or to do leather work, etc. We find that in learning any discipline , one makes contact with common principles which may be applied to a myriad of disciplines which carry life sustaining awards. The science of sowing and reaping can be seen to produce life's multiple and various blessings.

I have designed and enacted a nomadic figure-eight that swings between the urban and the rural, seasonally. There is the Chicago: basement work shop/ministry. At other times, there is the rural marketing: productive stage. The MUU (mobile utility unit) is my self designed (made by Wells Cargo) completely equipped with sowing machines, tools, and work stations, composing a production "strike-force". This way I can "fit in where I can get in", to make and market whatever is called for, where ever I see a demand that I can supply. As we used to tell our patrons during the time I operated shops on Chicago's near North Side: "If you can think it, we can make it". We turn ideas into things, this is why I label myself and my staff "The leather Magicians"

Although my major market has received a greater call for medieval and Renaissance garments and accessories , I do also accept commissions for other leather creations.

Now you have seen the reasons for my work, now I say unto thee "Me lords,me ladies, lads, and lassies, come thou hither, select the quality leathers. Hear the call, heed the warning. Seek yee thy leathers whilst they be found. Come now, be not shy nor bashfull, there's more beyond the door. Feel free to brouse thee about. Enjoy yee the free smells and select the quality wears. Huzzah!!"

Curtis Eagle Burrell, Jr.