The connection between tea and sand may not seem obvious at first, but at T.Sand, the two come together beautifully to inspire tranquility in this new experiential sand art studio and tea shop.
Owner Kelly Choo, a professional sand artist from South Korea who moved to Canada in 2023, opened T.Sand in Calgary’s Beltline neighbourhood this past summer. Choo saw a way to bring together her two loves — sand art and tea — and came up with the concept as a way to help foster creativity in a unique and tranquil space.
The sand art in question consists of fine sand in a box, lit from underneath, with a camera above to show the art on a screen in real time. The art comes from the performance of moving and manipulating the sand to create images.
“Sand art is not only a performance medium, but also a powerful storytelling tool,” says Choo.
The resulting art is often used for applications like video productions to convey visually captivating narratives.
So how did tea work its way into T.Sand? During Choo’s busiest times as a performance artist, she began to reach for tea as a way to relax and recharge her soul. This led her to formally study tea, earning certifications as a tea blender and sommelier.
T.Sand offers a variety of sand art experiences, from one-day introduction classes to professional workshops for anyone looking for a relaxing form of artistic expression. Workshops are private experiences and need to be booked in advance.
The studio also offers tea workshops where you learn to blend your own unique tea blend alongside Choo. Guests can also try the Tea Hansang tasting experience, which includes blended flower teas presented in a beautiful tea set and a dessert accompaniment. Tea workshops and tastings also need to be booked ahead of time, and can be done by themselves or together with one of the sand art workshops.
“These experiences bring calmness, inspiration, and a sense of connection to oneself and others,” says Choo. “Through T.SAND’s workshops, I hope to create cherished moments for every visitor — moments that spark creativity and bring peace amidst life’s busyness.”
200, 1110 7 St. S.W., 587-436-7293, tsandyyc.ca