I am Tibo, born on the 9th of April 1985 in Utrecht. Growing up in an environment of art and culture made me to who I am today. When I was 5 years old I started drawing with East Indian Ink and special bamboo pen for drawing. This was a very difficult technique to master as every line had to be right. It’s the art of leaving things out.
Turning 6 I started to learn to paint with paintbrushes and oil paints on canvas. Travelling and learning next to my father – the international renowned artist Jits Bakker – with whom I travelled the world. With him I became more and more connected to the world of arts and artists and was privileged to share their experiences. Growing up in a family where there are multiple creative talents such as: musicians, acting, composing (for the Philips orchestra), all self-employed adventures, makes a great difference in a young mans life such as myself. Having a father who earned his international fame by working, creating and promoting his arts and makes history as one of the greatest, leaves an impression forever. These things make your life history.
It feels like a great privilege to have been born with talent for arts. Besides creating art I also like to promote arts. Creating and promoting can go hand in hand and I am convinced that Picasso would in this case agree with me as he was able to master both himself as well.
While growing into arts, it was not only painting that I learned, also music seemed one of my talents as my teachers already said in prime school when I was 7 years old. She felt I had a great sense for music and rhythm. Soon they could find me playing the saxophone as a natural. Since then I played and formed a rock band with whom I perform still today with great joy.
After graduating from secondary I was accepted at the Fine Arts Academy of Utrecht. However after 2 years it felt I was eager to learn more and left for Australia for a few months. It was again a great learning experience and when I came back I knew what I needed to do. I was not only an artist but also an entrepreneur so I enrolled for the Academy for Arts and Economics with specialization Visual Art & design Management. I graduated with honours in 2009. I mostly learned that arts has to be access able to everyone, therefore I feel the desire to create a bond between arts & culture and management. To realize a link between arts and society as a whole and create a permanent basis of creativity and economy as a whole.
