Alex Garant sits at an easel every day, but she has the musculature of somebody who pumps iron just as often. That’s not necessarily what you might expect from a painter, but for Garant, her artistic and physical health are equally vital.

Over three years ago, Garant had a sudden heart attack, the result of a rather random virus. Faced successively with the prospect of her own mortality and a very long period of bed rest, she made decisions about what her life would be like when she was back on her feet. The result? A dizzying array of paintings of figures whose eyes relentlessly shift and make looking at the works something like experiencing vertigo.

But how do you get from deciding to be an artist in your (very early) 30s, to being an artist featured by Huffington Post, Mashable, and on the cover of magazines?