CSFM Adds New Vendor, SUES Handbags

Sarasota, Florida, July 16, 2014 (Newswire.com) - SUES Handbags has joined the Central Sarasota Farmer's Market (CSFM) Saturday mornings at the Sarasota County Technical Institute (SCTI). Owner Sue Sweeney, a painter and illustrator, creates one-of-a-kind, all original, hand-painted designs on carefully selected vintage handbags, driven by the belief that “vintage is cool and we really do have enough already!"

The first SUES bag was inspired by a small vintage purse and an Anuschka hand-painted bag she saw on eBay. Having been traditionally trained to paint on canvas, she transferred this passion onto handbags, and launched her first line of hand-painted bags in September 2013. They quickly began to sell and have now become collectible items. Among the most popular items are re-issued, hand-painted Coach and Fossil handbags. 

Sue grew up with the New York City skyline in Roseland, New Jersey, close enough, she says, "to absorb the big city culture and her passion for the arts." She is a graduate of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and has worked in the New York City fashion industry, including designing private label clothing for men and boys for Heatherhill Sportswear, and illustrating for The Children’s Place clothing company. She came to Sarasota in September of 2001 with her then 3-year-old son, Aidan, then worked in a variety of fields including downtown media sales for the Herald-Tribune Media Group and membership sales for the Sarasota Yacht Club, before starting her own business.      

The CSFM meets every Saturday from 8 a.m. till 1 p.m. in the parking lot of the SCTI at 4748 S. Beneva Road, Sarasota, FL 34233. The growing market features locally grown produce, fresh-baked goods, food vendors, live entertainment, local artists, artisans and service providers. Its convenient, centrally located venue offers plenty of parking, indoor restrooms and is pet friendly.

For more information, please contact Christopher Austin at (941) 726-4391.