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A native of Wyoming Clint started his leather crafting career at the age of 12. His father, Walter Fay, was his first teacher. When he was 14, Clint got a job working at Ernst’s Saddlery stamping belts. Here he worked with Dick Bard and E.O Jackson. A year or two later he moved to King’s Saddlery where he worked with Don King, Bill Gardner, Bill King, Ray Arthrin, Bob Douglas and Clarence McIntosh.
After high school, Clint worked at a variety of jobs: construction, oil field service, ranch work, Forest Service, and coal mining. He attended Sheridan College and obtained an Associate’s degree in Art. During this time he continued to stamp in his spare time. When he was 22, Clint returned to work at Ernst’s. He worked with Bill Gardner and Joe Crackenberger. He entered the Fire Service at 24, working for the City of Sheridan, but continued to work part-time at Ernst’s until the shop closed. After Ernst’s Saddlery closed, Clint began free-lancing leather stamping during his time off from the Fire Department. He continued to work at the Fire Department, stamping leather in his time off from the station until he took disability retirement from the department in 1993. From then on, leather crafting became his full time career. He worked with Chester Hape for 1 year making National Finals trophy saddles. Clint freelanced full time in partnership with his father, Walter Fay, who also stamped leather and made stamping tools, from 1993 to 2000. He collaborated on a book, SHERIDAN STYLE CARVING with BILL GARDNER and CLINT FAY in 2000. Clint has made many contributions to the world of leather crafting. He has taught classes in the U.S., Canada and Australia. Classes he has taught include: Gathering of the Admiring all fine work Clint continues to stamp leather full time in his shop in Sheridan, Wy. Photos by Bob Likewise |
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Masters in Sheridan, WY, Sheridan Leather Show, and the Pendleton Leather Show. He has also taught classes in California at the Gene Autry Museum in Los Angeles. Clint went to Maple Creek, Alberta, Canada and taught community classes in leather crafting and also taught classes to saddle factory employees in Texas. He has worked with many young leather crafters here in Sheridan, including individual 4-H'ers and crafters who come to the shop to get help with their stamping.