A Boot Collector Feature
In an isolated West Texas art town better known for minimalist sculpture, Weldon Ray built rugged boots for ranchers and artists alike.
Ray's Boots and Saddle Repair operated out of South Highland Avenue in Marfa, the remote West Texas town known equally for ranching and for the art scene that grew up around Donald Judd's installations. Bootmaker Weldon Ray had a decade of bootmaking experience at the time of a Texas Monthly feature on the state's bootmakers, building rugged boots for a clientele that mirrored the town itself — working ranchers on one side, resident and visiting artists on the other.
Rugged, durable boots built for a uniquely split Marfa clientele of ranchers and artists. At the time of the Texas Monthly feature, pairs started around $350 with a two-to-three-month turnaround.
A Marfa shop built for ranchers and artists in equal measure.
Pairs from smaller, custom, or long-closed makers rarely come up for sale, so this search may not find anything. It’s worth checking back now and then.