Tibo van de Zand (1985) is a Dutch painter who was introduced to the world of visual arts at a young age by his father, the renowned artist Jits Bakker (1937-2014). Under his guidance, Tibo began painting plein air around the age of six, both at home and abroad. He continued his artistic development at the Art Academy in Utrecht, where he graduated cum laude in 2009.
Together with his father, Tibo shared studios in sunny Andalusia and the rugged Belgian Ardennes. The rolling and colorful landscapes of southern Spain in particular are still an important source of inspiration for his work. Although he has a studio near Málaga, he often works outside in the Mediterranean countryside. Like his father, Tibo sees the outside world as his largest and most inspiring studio.
Under the Spanish sun between the olive trees, or along the Dutch canals, he gives his own interpretation of reality with expressive use of color and dynamic brushstrokes. His style, imbued with Fauvist influences, is in keeping with the great expressionists of the early twentieth century. In contrast, his characteristic black-and-white works, in which he masters the art of omission with a minimalist approach, are contrasted.
From a young age, Tibo made study trips to admire the work of great masters of modern painting, such as Albert Marquet, Henri Matisse and Kees van Dongen. The art of Vincent van Gogh, Jan Sluijters and Raoul Dufy are also among his sources of inspiration.
In the Netherlands, he worked with his father in the monumental studio 'De Kooi' in De Bilt, where he can still be found every day. In addition to his own work, he manages his father's extensive oeuvre there as chairman of the Jits Bakker Collection Foundation.
Tibo van de Zand's work has been exhibited in museums and galleries at home and abroad, and is part of various art collections.
