Instead of tearing up the earth using precious energy and questionable labor resources, Mark Goodwin recycles scrap cartridge brass, copper, tin, and pewter and repurposes discarded oyster shells to make belt buckles that tell a story. So, too, does he make use of the lapidary equivalent of sawdust and chips. Bits and pieces of gemstone that are either too small or might otherwise be discarded are stabilized and incorporated – alone with small hand-cast bronze sculptures and molten pewter – into action designs such as The Crab Crusher, Miss Ruby Bone, The Sundance Kid, Tailer Made, Having a Damsel for Dinner and Pieces of Apalachicola. Each buckle is partnered with a buffalo belt. Water buffalo hides, from oxen who have outlived their productive farm lives, are patiently tanned and finished with natural oils and waxes, then crafted into full-grain leather belts of unsurpassed quality. Dr. Goodwin is a veterinarian and an internationally recognized award-winning artisan who personally hand-forges each buckle in his Apalachicola studio on Florida’s Forgotten Coast. His works will last for generations.