Dan Horan

DAN HORAN

(he/him)

Dan Horan is the craftsman behind Merchant Leather, a self-taught maker who found in leather the perfect balance of creativity, function, and timeless craft. Based in Minnesota, he builds each piece entirely by hand, emphasizing simplicity, durability, and the honest beauty of traditional techniques.

Teaching is central to Dan’s work. He has shared leatherworking with more than 1,500 students—from children to adults—in settings ranging from folk schools to galleries to the American Craft Council. His classes are designed to be approachable for anyone picking up leather for the first time, while also structured to help students steadily build higher-level skills, confidence, and creativity with each project.