RACHEL CORRY 

Santa Barbara, CA
 
rachelseessnailshoes.com
IG: rachelseessnailshoes
 
Rachel Corry is an artist and sandal maker based in Santa Barbara, CA. Her brand RACHEL SEES SNAIL SHOES includes teaching classes, creating new prototypes, and shipping supplies & kits. Rachel studied Art and Design at UCLA and later taught herself shoemaking on her bedroom floor using books from the library alongside advice from the clog maker Jeremy Atkinson. Since 2014, she has been teaching sandalmaking classes up and down the west coast of the US. Her how-to book THE SANDALMAKING WORKSHOP was published in 2021 and includes projects and patterns for beginners.

Rachel’s intent with her brand RACHEL SEES SNAIL SHOES is to inspire interest in simple handmade footwear made in the US. When she first set out to learn sandalmaking, she found very few people making their own shoes, and very few teaching the craft domestically. And so she set out to make the streamlined, utilitarian, and unfussy sandals that she was attracted to. 

Rachel believes that sandals are a great starting point for aspiring shoemakers to learn basic skills and concepts before diving deeper into shoemaking. She teaches a no-sew method, makes patterns up on the spot, and uses students’ actual feet rather than lasts. Her students design their own sandals and finish them the same day. She loves sharing this craft and is honored that the shoe community recognizes her simple homespun techniques as having a place in such a traditional methodology.

HERE  |  Purchase Rachel’s book about making sandals. 

HERE  |  Article about Rachel on “ShoutOut LA”

 

Blue Smurf Mule
Leather, nails, silk, with cotton piping
2021

Fold Sandals
Leather, nails
2021

The footwear in the exhibition is all bespoke – and therefore custom-made for the customer.  If available, we have provided contact information for you to learn more about how this process works with each of the artists.