Hey there! I’m Sandra Calzada, though most people know me as Tutú – a name my father gave me when I was a child because I couldn’t quite say the word “tomato.” Instead, I’d stumble through it and say “Tutú,” and it stuck. It’s the name my family and friends still call me, and it felt right to use it as my artist’s name – a reminder of my roots, love, and imperfections.

I’m from Colombia, a country that vibrates with creativity, color, and rhythm. I grew up surrounded by art. My father, a creative spirit, and my mother, who could make magic with her hands, nurtured this in me. Art was always there, but for a long time, I didn’t think it was something I could truly dedicate myself to.

Life has a way of breaking us down in pieces, and I’ve felt that in so many ways. After studying finance in the U.S. and moving to North Carolina, I started to see the cracks more clearly – the ones in life, in me. It’s funny how nature’s beauty, with all its perfect imperfections, showed me what I needed to do. I picked up my brush and started piecing things together, one stroke at a time.

My work in geometric abstraction reflects that – a life full of fragmented moments, broken and scattered, which I try to make sense of on canvas. It’s a way for me to bring order to the chaos and express emotions I struggle to put into words.

After moving to the Netherlands and becoming a mother, I found myself evolving once more. Art has become more than just a passion; it’s how I process, reflect, and grow. Along the way, I discovered a love for goldsmithing, another form of creation that’s deeply personal and fulfilling.

My art reflects where I come from and my journey, infused with the colors and patterns. But it goes beyond just telling my story. Each geometric shape, each line and curve, is like a fragment of a greater narrative. My work isn’t just about my journey; it’s about all our stories. Each painting is a mosaic of experiences, emotions, and connections that belong to anyone who looks at it. I hope that within these shapes and colors, you might find a part of your own story, a moment that resonates with you, and a feeling that connects us all.