In this post I am going to give you an insider's view to the path I took to bookbinding and share with you what I believe makes Teostudio books unique.
But before all I want to thank you, my friends, my readers and my customers, to you I owe the constant support and passion that enabled me to continue to bring my creations to the world.
I think of my work as being is quite diverse within the small niche of bookbinding. However there's a common element to it, and that's their antique style which surely comes from my formal background as a conservator restorer of artworks. I'm a lover of antiques and I inherently infuse my books with reminiscences of the past, elements that remind us of our history as human beings and our artistic development during time. Despite their antique look, these books are perfectly sturdy and have the ability to withstand time and be passed on as heirlooms through many generations.
With respect to the old secret recipes and techniques of bookbinding, I take the time to bind my books entirely by hand, each operation is made by me and nothing is machine made. I use traditional hand tools for their decoration, and vintage tools that have belonged to other skilled craftsmen before me find now use and bring inspiration to my little studio in Portugal.
My journals bring together elements from all parts of the world. Some are made of reclaimed leather from old suitcases that already have a history of their own and sometimes their covers hold vintage pieces collected by me during the years in my travels, from street fairs and antiquities boutiques. I look at each and every art book project as more than the mere creation of an object, but as a way of preserving bits of the past while creating something new to hold your writings for the future.
They are made of materials chosen in accordance with the tradition because they are proved to be the most resistant and good quality ones during the years. You will find that the quality of the paper I use is not that of a regular notebook, but a high quality artist one. My paper comes from Italy - the land of the arts and sometimes even wears the name of great masters of all times, Modigliani, Tiziano, Leonardo. The linen thread you will see when you open my books is the famous Barbour from England. The endpapers are usually hand marbled by artists in Europe, or more recently by myself as I discovered this new passion that goes hand in hand with making books and I just love it. Other decorative types of papers that I enjoy working with are made in France or Italy and will impress you with their vivid colors and quality. The leather is goat skin (and more rarely cow) and is manufactured on a limited scale especially for bookbinding in a small town in Greece. Only bringing together all these materials is sometimes an adventure in itself!
And last but not least, I like to think there's a particular artistic element present in my books. I come from a family of painters and my whole life was revolving around art. I guess it wouldn't be a TeoStudio handbound journal if it isn't decorated with intricate painted details or shows unique compositions of artwork on its covers. These art journals are certainly my most successful creations and are always one of a kind.
So if you own a piece of my work, you now know that you own a whole lot more than just a notebook. You hold the entire story that came together for its creation.
I am lucky to have amazing customers with high aesthetic values who recognize the quality of these details I care so much about, so I am very grateful my work is appreciated at its true value. Once I sell a book, while it is somewhat hard to let it go, I have the utmost confidence it will be in good hands. So thank you for being an amazing customer and for being part of my journey by supporting my passion. I could not have done it without you!
