An interview with Carol Barton

We recently caught up with Barton as she prepared to make the trip to Nashville for her exhibit opening.

How would you describe the experience of reading a pop-up book?

Pop-ups are theatrical in their surprise, movement, and dynamic presence. They are small, hand-held magic acts, appearing and disappearing across the page with the verve of actors making stage entrances and exits, telling dimensional stories.

What is your favorite pop-up book?

It's hard to name a favorite pop-up book, there are so many I enjoy. However, The Pop-Up Book of Nightmares and The Pop-Up Book of Phobias come to mind. These books by paper engineer Matthew Rhinehart are fun, edgy, and utilize the pop-up structures beautifully. Of course, Robert Sabuda's books are incredible for their engineering. And Jan Pienkowsky's Haunted House is a sentimental favorite because it was the first pop-up book I bought for my collection. I was in Paris at the time, so that first copy is actually imprinted in French.

Where do you get your inspiration?

My inspiration comes from varied sources: reading, historical references, functional objects (furniture, jewelry and kinetic toys), architecture, and other artists' books. The book is a flexible framework for these influences, and I enjoy mixing media and resources.

How do pop-up books teach young readers?

Kids often are led to believe there is only one right way to answer a question. This may be true on a multi-choice test, but in the creative sciences and the arts there are usually many approaches to a problem, and answers come from a sequence of trial-and-error steps. Figuring out how to build, alter and develop new pop-up forms reinforces the trial-and-error technique of discovery and invention, a critical element in any design process. For students struggling with written and verbal communication or with English as a second language, the fun of making pop-ups can break down communication barriers and lead to improved literacy and conversation abilities.