I am an artist who has decided to put my art on handbags, in a way I figured out myself. I am just now in the process of completing the last piece of a collection of 9 handbags in total. I am beginning by selling them in my showroom of my family outerwear business, of which up until now, I have been the designer. I use a light gloss, heavy canvas, which is treated with a bright white coating for printing on inkjet printers. After I print my art on the canvas, using a professional medium format printer, I printout my art and then have a special high gloss or soft luster lamination on each piece, not only to make them water resistant, but also more durable and depending on the type of lamination, give them a unique appearance.

I was introduced to a manufacturer of handbags and he immediately decided that my art belongs on handbags, which I had been thinking about for some time now, the best way to go other than just art hanging on a wall. I wanted to do something different with my art and whenever I asked my family business customers where they would like to see my art, other than on the wall, many of them said "handbags". So I began the process by working with the manufacturer, working out the most popular designs, along with my own changes made to a basic styles. Now, I want people to see how beautiful my artwork looks on my handbags, using my own techniques for giving the bags their unusual appearance. I also wanted to have my own name trademarked, which says it all, "Carry-Art" handbags.

My first design was so beautiful, but because of the material used and the "barrel" style I wanted, it could not be made properly. I spent a few weeks just thinking exactly how I wanted it to look and had it all set in my mind. But one day I received a phone call from the manufacturer telling me that it was impossible to make this style the way I wanted it. Again, this was my first bag and design, so I was extremely disappointed when I found this out. If it had been my second or third design, I wouldn't have minded so much, but after weeks of going over every detail in my mind of my very first design and constantly changing this and that, I finally thought that I had a real winner. But alas, I learned that "it's part of the game"!

Showing pictures of the handbags and the samples to various people, as well as customers in my showroom, I received the most incredible responses I could ever imagine, even more than my artwork alone, which people love to look at, since it is very unusual and all over my showroom. I have about 1,500 pieces, with my first approximately 300, on my website. It really gave the the incentive I needed to do something different other than just hanging it on a wall. When I asked people where else they think I should go with my art, with dozens of responses, most agreed that the handbags were it. Even men were going in this direction with their thoughts of what else to do with the art. It's well worth the effort, since just about every woman who has seen the handbags or pictures of them, told me that they will definitely purchase at least one bag and in my showroom, would always walk over to the one that they were ready to buy. I have had all extremely positive responses to the bags. The greatest achievement is the wonderful feelings I get when I receive all these great responses from everyone.