Swarm | Oil Painting Bag | White Chrysanthemum

This bag began as someone else’s painting. Constructed from a reclaimed oil painting canvas sourced from a European market, the White Chrysanthemum carries the quiet history of an unknown hand.  Loose, expressive brushwork depicting white and cream chrysanthemums against a soft powder blue ground, with deeper indigo passages and warm ochre tones threading through.

The canvas has been cut, pieced, and sewn into a structured tote form, with raw edges and visible stitching left intentional; evidence of the work, not a flaw. The reverse side reveals a second painting entirely, a darker, more gestural composition in deep navy, forest green, burgundy and grey. The gusset carries fragments of the artist’s signature. Each panel tells a different story; together they make something new.

Tan leather handles are riveted and hand-stitched at the top. The interior is lined in natural cotton with a single patch pocket, finished with a red wax seal, Leslie Oschmann’s mark. The top binding is a woven stripe textile, adding a further layer of reclaimed material.

No two bags are alike. This one is singular. The bags are strong, versatile & spacious and are designed to show signs of wear & tear with use and age so that their stories live on.