I Be in my Bag

Back in the summer, I found myself teaching sculpture and rug tufting to groups of kids. This was before the debut of The Collection of POMOLOGY. While preparing for the exhibition, I wanted to create something that connected to my paintings and also served as a souvenir for attendees.

And then it hit me—Tote bags!

I could design stamps and screen prints for the bags, making them an interactive element of the show.

I wasn’t a total stranger to screen printing or block carving, but I wouldn’t call myself an expert either. I had some experience from my printmaking class at UHart and even earlier from carving wood. I understood the basics—how to invert images, work with negative space, carve, and ink. All I needed were the materials and designs.

Luckily, the summer camp I was teaching at had a storage room full of unused supplies. While rummaging through the boxes, I found silicone pads and lithographs—perfect for stamps. They even had carving tools. Abundance!

For inspiration, I turned to Pinterest, which has become one of my favorite resources. I’d never made fruit-themed stamps before, and I didn’t want to overcomplicate the designs. After all, there’s only so much detail you can capture on such a small scale. I found some cute references and paid attention to details like the seeds on strawberries or the top of a blueberry.

Once the stamps were carved, I started thinking about ink pads. Naturally, my first thought was Amazon, but the prices were ridiculous

—$35 per pad? Absolutely not.

While brainstorming at my “borrowed” desk, a colleague suggested I use acrylic paint mixed with heat-set fabric medium. I was ecstatic and rushed to Jerry’s Artarama as soon as the clock struck noon.

To make things easy for attendees, I bought 12 blank ink pads and filled them with the acrylic-and-medium mixture. It worked perfectly!

Seeing people customize their own tote bags at the exhibition was so fulfilling. I loved the energy and creativity it brought to the event. I even carried the idea into my Artist Talk the following month since I had so many materials left over.

Even now, as I type this, I still have a pile of blank totes staring at me. And honestly, in their uncustomized state, they look so… bland and basic.

See?just bleh

These bags needed a serious transformation, and I knew I was the only one who could give them a new life in a way that felt aesthetically pleasing. I wanted each design to be unique while sharing a similar aesthetic—symbolizing both unity and individuality.

Tote bags featured at Open Studios Hartford.

I had so much fun designing these bags—it truly feels like a mini passion project.

“This was also an excuse to tap a bit more into my child like wonder, getting serious about my play and introducing a new medium of creativity.”

And this also reflects this series —growth, expansion, creativity, transformation.

If you resonated with the themes of the collection of POMOLOGY, and want a way to remind yourself of the creative power that resides within your very soul, then these Tote Bags are the perfect talismans.

Extensions of Pomology—hand-designed, unique creations, infused with intentions of growth, transformation and alchemy , through artistic vision and energy—perfect for anyone who loves mindful and functional art, individuality, and sustainable fashion.

Click [here] to grab your tote, or feel free to reach out if you have any questions about the designs. I’d love to send one your way!