Checking in with artist-in-residence Eva Fakatselis
How cancer survivor and Harmony artist-in-residence Eva Fakatselis, has found inspiration and empowerment in a period of global crisis.
Written in her own words
I originally came to the Harmony in August of 2019 as the artist-in-residence with a mission to create an illustrated field-guide style book to support and educate other cancer patients (and their friends and family) in a relatable and beautiful way. I was so inspired by my time in Nosara, surrounded by vibrant and fertile nature and the magical realism of life here, that I decided to temporarily leave NYC behind and move to Costa Rica to work on the project. In January, my life-long dream of a fully equipped and tailor-made art studio came true. I moved into a beautiful workspace in the forest-garden of the old Harbor Reef in Guiones.
Then Coronavirus hit.
As for everyone around the world, the past few weeks have been unprecedented, and from my perspective, things started to get real when Costa Rica decided to shut down its borders to curb the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Corona crisis has had a strange effect on me – mostly because there are many parallels to be drawn with my fight with cancer. For example, the need for vigilance opposite germs and illness, wearing gloves and masks, the isolation brought on by the avoidance of public places and the necessity for social distancing, the existential fear of death (no biggie!) as well as the complete overturning of life as previously known with every corner impacted from work to friendships to family to self. Having been down this road before in so many ways, when things started to tighten and get scary some big questions and decisions loomed…should I return post-haste to the United States out of fear of being stranded far from my core support system, should I be overly cautious due to my primary immunodeficiency leftover from chemo, should I get my bi-monthly immune system transfusion and 2-year CAT scan in San Jose or return to the perceived safety of Memorial Sloan Kettering and my oncologist.
In the face of all these overwhelming questions, I truly surprised myself and I have cancer to thank for it.
I chose my life today, as uncertain as it was, over taking actions based in fear. I decided to stay in Nosara, standing by with mixed emotion as the last scheduled commercial flight left for the USA at the end of March. I found a talented oncologist in San Jose and received my medical care there with the participation of my amazing team in NYC. And after getting the jubilant news that I was two years cancer-free and that my scan was clear, I leaned into my fear of commitment, and realized my dream of having a dog. I adopted a puppy and I have named her Mika, which means beautiful fragrance.
Coming to Nosara to work on the cancer field guide, building a life by the ocean close to nature and creating a magical art studio in the forest are all dreams that I had never believed I could realize, and they had all come true in a matter of months since I came to the Harmony for the residency. I wasn’t about to walk away from them out of fear and I certainly wasn’t about to let the uncertainty brought on by the Corona crises make me waver in my path – I’ve seen the face of uncertainty before and I no longer fear it. Instead I believe I have found the key – to embrace it and to resist giving it the power to shrink your life – instead use it as fuel to expand your life in ways you had previously avoided. Remembering that the uncertainty has always been there, and always will be there, you just hadn’t noticed it before.
So for now, I remain in Nosara indefinitely, continuing to focus on the book, my art and my puppy in my jungle-cloaked studio.
all photos by Matthew Chenet
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