November Feature Artist and Handbag Designer Karen Victoria

Karen Victoria has spent decades devoted to personally designing and expertly crafting top tier handbags. She has displayed her creations at Butterfield Garage for almost 20 years.

A long line of admirers regularly stop by Butterfield to see what new creations have arrived, so they can add to their collections. Bags may be made from tapestries, leather, upcycled fur or whatever captures her imagination. Karen’s eye for materials, and her perspective as as a designer is fed by a life full of adventures and changing directions. As you browse her creations, you can almost hear the stories each bag has to tell. No two are alike, yet they each have the uncompromising care and craftsmanship of a Karen Victoria made bag.

On First Friday expect Karen to share a few stories of her life as a free-spirited woman. (Hint: there are boats, jousting and pirates involved). You will learn a little something about materials and craftsmanship that go into her handbags and have the chance to purchase one-of-a-kind bags that will be admired everywhere you go.

Karen’s sewing skills have been honed since childhood, when at 7 she was allowed to use her mom’s treadle sewing machine. Expert sewing knowledge has served her over the years;  she has done custom leather work, sails and canvas work, eventually leading her to creating custom purses. The inspiration for uniquely made handbags began with designing bags for medieval festivals, ornate tapestry purses with velvet, fringe and tassels. As she began showing in Art & Craft shows her designs shifted to appeal to a more contemporary customer, which leads to the handbags hanging in Butterfield Garage today.