Eric Lawrence, Founder of the Leather Masked Ball

Co-Owner of LeatherWerks, Fort Lauderdale

Long time resident of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and is the co-owner and president of LeatherWerks, one of the premier leather stores in the country, located in Fort Lauderdale. Eric and his life partner Ira C. Smith the renowoned erotic artist were married in October 2008 at ILS/b in San Francisco.

He is a long time activists for the gay community, and more recently focusing on the Leather community in South Florida. Among his many talents and titles are: Founding member and President Emeritus of NLA-FT. Lauderdale; founding member of Leather University (Dungeon and Men’s Academy series), and director of Living In Leather XIV; South Florida Drummer Daddy, 1995; past president of FFA Florida Golf Coast; Chaired the Black Heart Ball 2000 and past member of M.A.F.I.A.

Eric, a sincere enthusiast of the art of fisting, rightfully deserves the title given to him “Sir Bottom”. He filled in as a fisting instructor at the 2003 Dungeon 801 & 2004 Dungeon 901. He also has given fisting seminars for S.P.I.C.E. He is known as a hard taskmaster in his capacity as past LIL facilitator (in Dallas and Seattle), facilitator for a fisting seminar at MLT Mr. Leather Toronto. He is currently facilitating classes at LeatherWerks on Fisting and Pumping. His emphasis is homework, and practice, practice, practice!

Eric has received numerous humanitarian awards and certificates. Eric has also received Florida Man of The Year 2004 at the Mr. Florida Leather 2004 and the Forebearer Award at the Florida Leather Sir & Leather boy 2005 contest. Founder of Bound South "The Leather Masked Ball" donated a total of $15,500 to the Leather Archives & Museum in 2006 & 2007& $7,500 for Care Resource (White Party) 2006, $8,000 for Stonewall Library & Archives (Fort Lauderdale) 2007. After founding Bound South "The Leather Masked Ball"in 2006, an organization funding the Leather Archives & Museum in Chicago was presented "The Leather Archives & Museum Presidents Award 2007" for generous support of the LA&M and the preservation of our leather history.

Pantheon of Leather Awards XVIII --Presidents Award--2008. Eric was honored with being one of the judges for IML 2009.