About Us -
MK Custom Idaho Cowboy Gear specializes in producing handcrafted cowboy gear, including bits, spurs, conchos, spur straps, saddles, saddle blankets, and rugs. Owners Gary Keithley and Linda Morton-Keithley live in Melba, Idaho, a ranching/farming community located 30 miles southwest of Boise.
A fourth generation Idahoan, Gary grew up on a family cattle ranch near Midvale and began creating saddles and other cowboy gear while still in high school. Having spent much of his life as a working cowboy, he understands the need for comfortable, functional riding gear that is also aesthetically pleasing. In 1992 Gary was awarded a competitive grant from the Idaho Commission on the Arts (ICA) to attend the acclaimed Elmer Miller School of Silversmithing in Nampa, Idaho. He served as a Master Artist through the ICA's Traditional Arts Apprenticeship program in 2005, teaching the art of saddlemaking, and again in 2012, teaching spur making. He also works with private students on an occasional basis. In 2008, Gary was honored with an Idaho Governor's Award in the Arts - Excellence in Folk and Traditional Arts.
Linda grew up in Michigan and has been weaving since taking an undergraduate weaving class at Western Michigan University. She furthered her textile background at both Michigan State University and Colorado State University, where she obtained a M.S. degree in historic costume, and textiles. She has also worked in the history field - as a curator, museum director, oral historian, collections consultant, and archivist - for the past 40+ years and edited the book, Sitting Tall: Saddles and Saddlemaking in Idaho (Boise: Idaho State Historical Society, 2000). Her weaving studio houses three looms - a 'baby' Norwood, 4-harness Harrisville, and 2-harness LeClerc tapestry loom (shown). Linda works primarily with Navajo Churro wool, available from sources in Idaho and New Mexico in a variety of beautiful natural and dyed colors, and with locally-raised and processed alpaca fiber from Fireball Alpaca/Yarnageddon. She also teaches rigid heddle loom weaving classes at Yarnageddon.
Photo Gallery -
Gary and Melba High School student Isaac Riley working on Isaac's senior project (February, 2015)
Gary and apprentice Nathan Virden (May, 2013)
Idaho Buckaroo Project exhibit at Sun Valley Center for the Arts, Hailey, ID annex (October, 2012)
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Gary and apprentice Cleon Hoagland (May, 2012)
Idaho Buckaroo Project exhibit at Four Rivers Cultural Center, Ontario, OR (March, 2012)
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Idaho Buckaroo Project exhibit at Stewart Gallery, Boise, ID (October, 2011)
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Gary and apprentice Jim Lacey (2006)
Updated 5/18/2024