Tezoro Atelier is a colorful jewelry brand based in ’s‑Gravenzande, founded by Paola, a Colombian engineer and artisan with indigenous Quillacinga roots. Her work with glass beads and micro macramé is rooted in heritage, social impact, and contemporary craftsmanship, but also in connection – between people, cultures, stories, hearts, and hands.
What started as a personal search for identity and meaning grew into a social-creative project. Paola collaborates with indigenous artisans from her birth region in Colombia, whom she initially met online during the pandemic and has since visited in person. Through online meetings and trips to Colombia, she built sustainable relationships with these women, with a focus on mutual knowledge exchange, respect, and appreciation.
The creations of Tezoro are more than decorative – they tell stories of migration, heritage, and cultural pride. Paola increasingly integrates beadwork into clothing, giving new life to existing pieces: a colorful form of upcycling with meaning. Each piece is handmade and meaningful.
Tezoro is not just a brand, but also a platform for connection and empowerment. In the Netherlands, Paola offers creative bead workshops, mainly for newcomers and community groups. These sessions are not only about learning techniques but also about being together, finding calm, and discovering the stories behind the beads. In this way, creativity becomes a bridge between cultures and a gentle counterforce to stress and isolation.
Her creations go beyond beauty – they celebrate her Colombian roots, her intercultural identity, the work from the heart in her hands, and the preservation of cultural knowledge. She is Tez (complexion) Oro (wealth).
Tezoro’s jewelry can now be seen at, among others, the CODA Museum in Apeldoorn as one of the winners of the Jewelry Challenge 2025, and at the shop of the Wereldmuseum Leiden, in collections exploring themes such as identity, migration, and craftsmanship. Instead of working with fixed collections, Paola creates limited series and custom designs, specially developed for museums, cultural events, and concept stores that value meaning, sustainability, and artistry.
At Tezoro Atelier, creations made of glass beads and thread form a kind of cultural expression – meaningful work rooted in collaboration, tradition, and pride. From Colombia to the world.
