An artist from Waterlooville, Hampshire, Caroline West, has creatively transformed used tea bags into magical miniature paintings featuring scenes inspired by Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings.
According to BBC, she has been painting literary-inspired artwork on tea bags for the past two years.
West started this as a way to turn an everyday disposable item into something visually stunning and artistic.
She explained, “I’m an avid reader, and I’m always inspired by how a storyteller can weave an entire world into a book.”
She added, “I just wanted to see if I could capture that feeling in miniature, on a tea bag.”
West created seven paintings on used tea bags depicting memorable elements from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, including:
- The Hogwarts Express
- The Sorting Hat
- Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Similarly, she painted seven tea bags inspired by The Lord of the Rings, featuring:
- Gollum’s portrait
- A dragon’s eye
- Silhouettes of characters climbing a mountain
She started by drying the tea bags, cutting them open, removing the tea leaves, and ironing them flat to prepare them for painting.
Each artwork took her several hours to complete.
The Harry Potter-themed tea bag paintings are currently available for purchase, while her Lord of the Rings collection has already sold out.
