The Care Guide: Preserving Your Wearable Artwork

When you carry a hand-painted bag, you're carrying something a little different from an ordinary handbag or tote.

The paint was applied by hand. The embellishments were chosen and placed individually. Many of those dimensional details were sealed with resin. And because each piece is created one at a time, no two are ever exactly alike.

That's part of what makes wearable art special — and with just a little thoughtful care, you can keep yours looking beautiful for years to come.

Whether you own one of my Jute Totes, a fringed canvas design, or an Uncommon Luxe purse, here are my best tips for caring for your piece.

Think of It as Artwork You Get to Carry

The easiest way to think about caring for a hand-painted bag is right there in the name: wearable art.

Unlike a mass-produced bag with a printed pattern, the design on your bag was painted directly onto its surface and then transformed with dimensional elements such as beads, crystals, jewelry components and other embellishments.

If you've ever wondered about the difference, I talked more about it in What Makes Hand-Painted Wearable Art Different from Mass-Produced Accessories? 

That doesn't mean your bag needs to sit untouched on a shelf. Quite the opposite. I make my bags to be carried and enjoyed. It simply means treating the artistic surface with a little more care than you might give an everyday machine-washable tote.

Spot Clean — Don't Soak

For my Jute, Fringed Canvas and Rope Handle totes, spot cleaning is the way to go.

If something gets on your bag, gently blot or wipe the affected area with a soft, slightly damp cloth. Avoid harsh cleaners, scrubbing brushes or abrasive sponges, particularly on painted or embellished areas.

Most importantly, don't put your hand-painted tote in the washing machine and don't soak it in water.

The combination of paint, mixed-media elements and dimensional embellishments is exactly what makes these pieces unique. If you'd like to understand more about the materials that can go into a piece, my What Is Mixed Media Art? A Friendly Guide (and Why It's Everywhere Right Now) article  explains why I love combining different materials in my work.

Give the Embellishments a Little TLC

I securely attach the primary dimensional elements on my bags and use resin on selected embellishments to give them added protection and durability.

But they're still decorative elements rather than something you want repeatedly rubbing against a rough surface.

Try not to pick at beads, crystals or other dimensional pieces, and be mindful when placing your bag against brick, concrete or other abrasive surfaces.

This is especially true for highly embellished designs. Those little details are part of what turns the bag from something functional into something unmistakably uncommon.

Don't Crush It

How you store your bag matters, too.

When you're not carrying it, give it enough room to maintain its shape rather than folding it underneath other bags or piling heavy objects on top of it.

For a Fringed Canvas Tote, allow the fringe to hang naturally rather than storing it folded or crumpled for long periods.

And while a little Las Vegas sunshine certainly isn't going to hurt your bag while you're carrying it, I wouldn't store any hand-painted piece for extended periods in direct sunlight, excessive heat or damp conditions.

In other words, don't banish your wearable art to the trunk of your car!

A Little Extra Care for Uncommon Luxe

My Uncommon Luxe Collection deserves a slightly different kind of care because these pieces begin with a structured acrylic purse rather than a fabric or jute tote.

Store your purse in its dust bag when you're not using it and avoid placing it where the acrylic or embellished surfaces can rub against other hard objects.

A soft cloth can be used for gentle cleaning, but avoid harsh or abrasive cleaners on the painted, resined or embellished areas.

And don't pile things on top of it. The structured shape is part of what makes these little purses so fabulous — let it stay that way!

Resin Adds Protection — But It Doesn't Make the Bag Indestructible

One of the questions people sometimes have when they see all those beads, crystals and dimensional details is:

“Will all of that stay on?”

That's one reason resin is an important part of my process. It helps secure and protect selected dimensional elements while still allowing them to remain part of the visual design.

In What Goes Into a $100+ Statement Tote? [BLOG LINK], I take you behind the scenes of the painting, embellishing and finishing process that happens before one of these bags ever leaves my studio.

But resin doesn't turn wearable artwork into a bowling ball. 😊

Treat it thoughtfully. Don't intentionally bend embellished areas, pull on dimensional elements or toss the bag underneath a pile of luggage, and you'll help protect all of those details.

What If Something Does Happen?

These bags are meant to go out into the world with you, and life occasionally happens.

If you own one of my pieces and you're ever unsure about how to clean something — or you have a question about an embellishment or painted area — please contact me before experimenting with a cleaner or attempting a repair yourself.

I'd much rather have you ask.

Because unlike a mass-produced accessory, there really is an artist on the other end who knows exactly how your piece was made.

Carry It. Enjoy It. Let People Ask About It.

Perhaps the most important care instruction I can give you is this:

Don't be afraid to use your bag.

Yes, it's artwork. Yes, it was made by hand. And yes, a little thoughtful care will help keep it beautiful.

But I didn't create it to spend its life hidden away.

Take it to lunch. Take it shopping. Carry it on vacation. Wear it with the outfit that needs one fabulous thing. Let the woman standing behind you in line ask, “Where did you get that bag?”

That's what wearable art is for.

Shop Wearable Art

Hand-Painted. Heart-Filled. Always Uncommon.