WomenSource will be auctioning off one very special handbag at its third annual Power of the Purse fundraiser Tuesday.

Local artist GeorgeAnn Moore donated the handcrafted bag to raise money for WomenSource, a group that connects women with professional resources, provides educational programs and facilitates peer support groups.

Though there will be other designer handbags raffled off at the fundraiser, this bag is extra special, said WomenSource board member LeTrell Simpson.

The handbag is made of a shimmery camel-colored fabric that features beading and an alligator detail on the clasp.

"I think the alligator is a little spice," Moore said, pointing out the symbolism of the animal for WomenSource.

"Us women shouldn't be sitting passively. We should have a little aggression."

The fabric is a non-woven material with inks impregnated into it and sealed with a polymer coating, Moore said.

She called her start in designing handbags "serendipity."

She was working with a friend who was interested in a material she could sew beds onto when she created the fabric.

"I started playing around with something more durable she could bead with and I came up with this," Moore said.

Moore began to dabble in what she terms "wearable art" by making handbags out of her handmade fabrics.

Before long, she was selling her creations in a high-end couturier shop in Chicago.

"Every purse is unique," Moore said. "I only make enough fabric for about four bags at a time. Nobody ever walks out the door with a purse that is the same as someone else's."

Moore has lived all over the United States and has drawn inspiration and materials from the various landscapes she has called home.

"I collect things from all over to use on the purses," Moore said. "Sometimes I paint on them."

But Moore said she has greatly enjoyed her time in Gainesville.

"I love it here and I love the arts scene here," Moore said.

Power of the Purse will be at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Quinlan Visual Arts Center. The event will feature a fashion show with 28 models and 12 clothing vendors, who will also be selling their goods at the event. There will be a designer handbag raffle and Scott's on the Square will cater the event.

Simpson expects about 220 people at the fundraiser. With each passing year, she has seen steady growth in interest and attendance at WomenSource events.

"We have been pleased with how well the organization has grown in such a short time," Simpson said. "That's what it's all about - networking the women of the community."