António Colaço was born in Gavião in 1952 and later moved to Mação. He initially joined the diocesan seminary before transferring to a seminary in Porto. His father was a colleague of Jorge Lacão's father, also from Gavião, and his mother, born in a village in Alentejo, went to serve at a young age in Porto at the house of Cardinal Cerejeira's brother. The professions and the care of his parents are also present in his work. His artistic journey has been shaped by his great ability to improvise, which is also evident in the techniques and materials he uses in his visual works. He heavily incorporates the graphic use of calligraphy, which he describes as "a transfiguration of writing. It is a writing that retains its gestural aspect." In addition to his artistic pursuits, he also served as a press advisor for the parliamentary group of the Socialist Party. He held this position for 21 years until his retirement in 2010.