ABOUT ME

Hi there!

My name is Santa. I am a Montevideo-born Barcelonian artist living in Hove and working in Brighton.

I am an illustrator, designer and photographer who also makes ephemeral artwork: permanent tattoos. Contradictory? I don't think so! :)

All my pieces intend to catch and reflect a bit of our soul, making each project (no mater the media I am working with) a unique artistic product every time.

Sometimes I draw with ink on a canvas, or I use air-dry clay to express myself, but most of the times I use people's skin to portray my art.

I believe I create pretty things, but no matter the surface I use, they are above all powerful and meaningful things. And that's the most fulfilling part of what I do, because I get to communicate feelings, concepts and ideas through a canvas, or somebody's skin.

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Regarding that, I like reflecting in my work our common inner fears, desires and hopes, playing with the shapes, colours and images to convey a message that will be living on/with the person's body for life.
That message one day, like all ephemeral things and like life itself, will disappear. And this is the beauty and poetry of the skin art form: it makes a clear statement that everything in The Creation is in constant change, and that nothing lasts forever. Just like us.

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Talking now about my professional background, after working for a long time as a graphic designer, my way into the tattoo world started in 2008 under the teaching of Eduardo Sasía (Montevideo).
Over the years I have condensed all my knowledge about design, tattooing and my passion for drawing into a very personal style, so the Graphic Art and Organized Chaos are today my main creative outlet and the end of the search for my personal expression as an artist.

My first contact with fine art was during my early ages. My mother, a professional tapestry artist, introduced me to the first steps of the drawing techniques.

After that I took lessons in atelliers in Montevideo, Madrid and Barcelona, made exhibitions, worked on various illustration projects, and won some art contests along the way.

I also studied a Communications degree and I worked as a graphic designer and photographer for companies such as L'Oreal, Coca Cola, Nike, Madpoint, Freeriderzine, Coup de Fouet, Descord and El Pais Cultural, among others.

In 2002, I left Montevideo to establish myself in Barcelona, where I lived for almost 12 years.

At present, I have settled my private studio in Brighton (UK), where I currently work and express my creativity drawing and tattooing.

And that's it! I hope you enjoy seeing my work.

Cheers!
Santa Perpetua :)