Teabag Books by Tatiana Potts

An Open Book: Interviews with Bookbinders

The pandemic had a different effect on all of us. Some stopped creating for a while, whereas others looked for inspiration at home to keep going. Bookbinder Tatiana Potts found herself turning towards everyday items when she and her students couldn't make it to the studio. Looking for everyday materials that could be turned into books, Tatiana came up with some unusual books inspired by teabags, egg cartons and more.

Here's a little chat with Tatiana about her process. Enjoy!

What got you into bookbinding? 

I love making things and I have always been fascinated with illuminated manuscripts, so I kept wanting to make one. In my native country Slovakia, I didn't have access to learn how (well and during my high school years, we had no internet yet), so I had a lot of limitations of getting information, tutorials, or classes. I made some books by sewing pages together in whichever style I thought might work. I found it here in the U.S. while studying at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN. 

I see everyday objects in your work: tea bags, eggs, and even swiss cheese. How would you describe your style? Is it constantly changing or are there certain books you enjoy making most?

Since I am also a printmaker, I think I enjoy the process of figuring out how to make the book more unconventional. I especially like the construction of it, feel for different fabric, or making shapes that fit together like a puzzle with content that is often a folded page.

The rest of the books made with tea bags, eggs, or recycled materials were inspired during the pandemic when I could not go to my studio. At the beginning of isolation, I was in the midst of teaching Book Arts class at Hartford University, CT. I felt compelled to find an easy way for my students to be able to make books without fancy materials or access to studio. I immersed myself in experimenting with different shapes and  materials that were available to me, so students can be inspired too. 

Can you tell me a little bit about these teabag books and the inspiration behind it? 

It seemed that during the beginning of lockdown due to COVID, everyone was baking. I kept seeing these posts about bread starters and also cake recipes. When I was looking at various food packaging that we were using every day, I kept eyeing egg cartons. I like boxes and closures and wanted to see what I can do with egg cartons. Eggs are needed for cake, I wanted to bake a cake, but I didn't not necessary want to make a book in the shape of cake. I wanted to indirectly relate to ingredients needed for preparation but also underline the longing for sharing this cake with my friends and family that I could not see  due to pandemic.

With this project, I was challenging myself to make each binding different. So I set myself limitations, it must be twelve books, they must fit in a box, egg-like shape, each book different binding and paper would be recycled (old prints, security envelopes...etc.). I made a list of 16 possible types of bindings. I knew some of them might not work because of their round shape, but I gave it a try. I enjoy the challenge of figuring it out.

What is your typical workflow like?

I teach at University so I have to balance my time. But I love creating and working on new projects. I constantly think about what I want to do next, either using different materials or different shapes or incorporating my prints.  I also learnt that the more I do, the more ideas I have. Work helps me to come up with new ideas and it is essentially my therapy. That's why I often work by trial and error. Believe it or not, I do not like measuring and I often avoid doing it if I can. I keep trying it out. I typically try a new form as a mini-book.  I love mini books - I can test out my idea very fast and redo it quickly if something is not working. 

Once I am happy with forms, I often consider making an edition of the books. Because usually my content is my prints I can easily multiply the content. Typically I would make between 6 to 12 editions of one book depending on the complexity of the book and case/box. 

I noticed that you incorporate a lot of different art techniques into your work.  From natural dyes to relief prints, carving and more. I might be wrong but got the impression that you're an art teacher? What techniques do you currently love most and which ones would you like to try in the future?

You are right. I teach at Hartford University in Connecticut. I teach Book Arts, Printmaking and Foundations (drawing). Printmaking is very process-oriented and I love working with all techniques, but most frequently photolithography, stone lithography, screenprint, relief and intaglio. Relief is easy to do by hand and recently I also pulled a print of an engraved plate by hand with a caster wheel.

For the content, I usually choose techniques that fit my book. I love transforming my prints into something more intimate like books, because they are experienced completely differently as books versus as prints. I love teaching and sharing my ideas, but also students inspire me to undertake different challenges due to their curiosity. I am always intrigued to learn or find out a new binding and challenge myself to use it with my prints.

Check out Tatiana's work here.

Bookbinder since: 2015

Favourite paper type:
light weight bfk rives, arches, awagami paper, also french paper (good for folding)

Favourite materials/bookbinding essentials:
Definitely bone folder (I bought one make of bamboo) and awl. I love fabric. I am always on hunt for different colors. This is funny about me - my prints are usually very limited in colour palette (black or blue black) but I love different colors for bookcloth.

Your favourite suppliers (paper, bookbinding materials) talasonline.org, https://hollanders.com/, https://www.jerrysartarama.com/, https://www.frenchpaper.com/

Bookbinders that inspire you right now:
Melissa Schnaible (IG: pendantpaper), Sarah Bryant (Big Jump Press), Cristina Royet, Colette Fu, Bonnie Pratt O'Connell. Various bookbinder from IG: areyoubookenough and inkandawl

Your most trusted bookbinding tool:
Bone folder

Favourite bookbinding books/resources:
Making Handmade Books by Alisa Golden, How to make books by Esther K. Smith, Books by Keith A. Smith, The art of folding by Hedi Kyle. 

Favourite binding technique(s):
Carousel book (also known as star book), tunnel book, folded (some sort of pop-up)