So, in July, I drove north again. This time the sky was clear, Porto drenched in sun. The weeks before Vera was preparing new work for a group exhibition, A Casa de Francisca Dumont, curated by Raquel Guerra at the Palacete Severo. The show reimagines the house of Francisca Santos Dumont—a woman historically overshadowed by her famous husband—through artworks that restore silence as space for presence.

Vera’s contribution explored houses and cityscapes, searching for the meaning of walls: the inside, the outside, and what flows between them. She explained how much of this body of work grew out of found cardboard boxes on the streets—objects that demanded transformation. Earlier, she had painted her family home, which became a starting point for thinking about Francisca’s invisible house. “It’s an addictive feeling,” Vera said. “I create a puzzle for myself.”

I can say with certainty that revisiting Vera was not only worth it to see her new works and to chat again about art and the meaning of it all. But also as Vera became a friend to me, and I'm beyond grateful for this platform for making this connection possible. You can watch the short film linked above, or better yet, step into Vera’s world in person. Her exhibition at Palacete Severo, presented by Perspective Gallery, runs through October 31.