I lost my eyesight at the age of 14 - From a NY Magazine Stylist to an Artist in a 🇵🇹 Countryside

Heather Chontos, a native of New York, has traveled to Spain, Sweden, Germany, the UK, Tanzania, France, and Portugal. When asked, she responded that after all this time, others might think she's been searching for something while traveling to all these places.
At the age of 15, on the day she regained her sight after a year of loss, she felt she regained her will to 'see.' She wanted to see as much of the world as possible. Her journey to find a place where she could truly settle down and firmly plant her feet might still be ongoing.
We bring you the story of the artist who began building her dream in the small village of Marvão, on the border of Spain and Portugal. Nobody in the village pronounces her name correctly; everyone calls her 'Maria.' Leaving behind the bustling city of New York for this unfamiliar and quiet land, she chose a life dedicated to facing her own honest and true emotions.
From waking up in the morning to going to bed at night, her story revolves around the consistency of daily work and finding her own uniqueness within work that is completely honest. Here in Marvão, where there isn't a single streetlight, the nights are illuminated by twinkling stars. Tonight, how about stepping away from the sounds of the city we live in and listening to her story in the complete silence of nature?

Timeline 🎬
00:00 Intro
00:42 Greetings
01:20 How can I become an artist
02:18 I completely lost my eyesight at the age of 14.
05:18 The biggest project I can give myself: building a house in Marvão, Portugal.
06:26 My process is that basically, if I feel like it, I'm doing it.
07:24 My temporary studio: An old mill.
08:57 I don't 'choose' colours.
09:59 Q: Do you find it difficult to explain the concept of 'abstraction'?
11:48 "Impulse is a request of the body to perform." - Cy Twombly
12:21 I don't have an artistic philosophy.
12:37 It's a matter of commitment.
13:27 Lovely Oscar 🐕‍🦺
13:52 The way to continue the work is purely 'Sheer will.'
15:15 Things that make my work special,
16:08 Final question: Any questions for other fellow artists?
17:59 Gifts prepared by the production team 🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪

Produced by December
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