Hand-Painted Purses & Totes: Why Carry the Same Bag as Everyone Else?

There’s something wonderful about finding a bag that feels like you.

Not simply the right size or the right color, but one that makes you smile when you pick it up. One that gets noticed. One that doesn't look like every other bag hanging on a department-store rack.

That’s what I love about creating hand-painted bags.

Your Bag Can Be Part of Your Style

We tend to think about clothing, shoes and jewelry when we talk about personal style, but the bag you carry is often one of the most visible parts of an outfit. In fact, your favorite handbag can say quite a bit about your style personality.

A great bag doesn't just hold your things. It can add personality to a simple outfit, introduce a pop of color or become the piece that pulls everything together.

And sometimes, it can be the whole reason someone stops and says, “Where did you get that bag?”

That's my favorite kind of accessory.

Hand-Painted Means No Two Are Exactly Alike

Every Dana's Uncommon Glass bag begins with a blank surface and is painted by hand in my Las Vegas studio.

Even when I paint the same design more than once, there will always be subtle differences. A brushstroke lands a little differently. An embellishment sits in a slightly different position. Tiny details develop as I'm working.

That's part of what makes handmade work special.

You're not carrying something that rolled off an assembly line by the thousands. You're carrying something another person actually sat down and created. That's part of what makes hand-painted wearable art different from mass-produced accessories.

More Than Paint

And I rarely stop at paint.

Glass, beads, crystals, dimensional details and other embellishments are added to many of my designs before they're sealed in resin. Those layers give the finished piece texture and dimension that can be difficult to fully appreciate in a photograph.  Designs like Kicking Up Her Heels show how those dimensional details become part of the artwork itself.

It's one of the reasons I often hear that the bags are even better in person.

They're meant to be looked at up close, touched, carried — and enjoyed.

Tote or Purse? Maybe Both.

A roomy tote is wonderful when you need space for everything that comes along with a busy day. But sometimes you don't need everything.

That's where a smaller hand-painted purse comes in.

Dinner out. A party. An afternoon with friends. A special event. Or simply one of those days when your phone, keys, wallet and lipstick are really all you need.

I love the idea that choosing between a tote and a purse doesn't have to mean choosing between practical and interesting. Either one can be functional and still feel like wearable art.  Still deciding which works best for your lifestyle? I recently took a closer look at choosing between a tote bag and a handbag.

Why Carry the Same Bag as Everyone Else?

Trends can be fun, but personal style is much more interesting.

Maybe you're drawn to bold color. Maybe it's flowers, fashion, fabulous shoes or a little Western glam. If you're not quite sure where to begin, Find Your Style can help you discover the designs that feel most like you.

Whatever catches your eye, I think the things we carry should make us happy.

Because there are already plenty of ordinary bags in the world.

You don't have to carry one.

Find Your Style

Hand-Painted. Heart-Filled. Always Uncommon.