Tiina Andron

Leatherworker

©Signe Milkov

©Madis Palm

©Signe Milkov

Layers of vibrant leather

Tiina loves colourful leather
She is a designer who likes a challenge
She trains apprentices from all over the world

From a young girl dreaming about leather design to a life as a highly skilled leather master, Tiina is passionate both about leather as a material and the designing process. With numerous exhibitions, publications and nominations in her field of expertise, Tiina’s works are colourful and warm like her personality and inspired by nature and modern architecture. For her, the quality of the final product is more important than the quantity and therefore she strongly advises to take time when it comes to creating a timeless piece of design. Tiina welcomes apprentices not only from Estonia, but also from abroad to whom she teaches the traditional and modern techniques of leather design.

Interview

©Signe Milkov

©Tiina Andron

What techniques do you use in leather design?: I combine classic and modern techniques when working with leather. Techniques like; moulding, wet moulding, perforation, dying, painting, stamping, carving, burning and sewing. I often use techniques such as folio, transfer, UV and laser printing.
What makes you happy in your profession?: Working and creating with my own hands. I find the mind game behind designing a new product exciting! It’s like solving a sudoku and you have to think many steps in advance. Sometimes I even come up with solutions during my sleep.
What people don’t know about your work?: People usually think that minimalistic design comes easily for a designer. However, in reality it starts with a long and hard thinking process, followed by precise and skilled craft work.
How do you combine tradition with innovation?: This is something I love to do! For instance, when binding, I use traditional sewing techniques and when decorating the piece, I use modern laser technology. Also, the materials are constantly evolving in a more ecological and modern direction.

Tiina Andron is a master artisan: she began her career in 1996 and she started teaching in 2014