Bio and Artist Statement

    I'm Sara Watts, an artist based in Denton, Texas while pursuing degrees in Studio Art and Japanese with a minor focused on creative writing!

In spending several years studying at Tarleton State University and the University of North Texas, I've developed a variety of skills across many artforms, including bookbinding. In conjunction with my love of design and woodworking, as well as the printmaking, metalsmithing, and drawing skills I've developed at university, I create books and bookbinding tools so that I can share not only the process but provide a space where others are encouraged to take a moment for themselves and allow their minds the time to wander.

    What started as something I did for my own sense of child-like wonder and curiosity has become a passion, and in the future I plan to continue developing my craft and design to include larger pieces and full-sized books in the spirit of exploration.

    In a society where technology is evolving at an exponential rate and hustle culture has turned time into a commodity, it can be hard to prioritize ourselves and our mental health and even harder to take a step back and critically examine the world we find ourselves in.

    In making my miniature books and interactive sculptures, in returning to the age-old mediums that are paper and wood, I have found a rare opportunity to do all of these things. Cutting the paper and assembling complex tools I spend hours designing is something I have never regretted making time for, and while the products of my work as an artist are important, what I focus on most is not the physical result of that work. Rather, the purpose of my work is to embody the idea of taking one's time. Taking time to enjoy the little things or to do something you love. Taking time for yourself without worrying about what comes next. Taking the time to let go and give in to curiosity and a child-like sense of wonder.

    I use the sheer size of my miniature books to draw people in for a closer look.

The tools I design are not only a display of craftsmanship, but act as puzzles begging to be solved, and their blueprints and sketches serve as clues.

    In encouraging viewers to explore these pieces in an interactive gallery, my aim is to cultivate a space in which people find themselves slowing down, drawn in by their curiosity, and allow their minds to wander.