My name is Jen and I reside in New York City.

I am a practicing artist with a master's degree in Art Education from New York University. I am mostly a painter, but I experiment with all types of media. Additionally, I am a full time art teacher at a public school in New York City.

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 12.  Living with diabetes from a young age has been a huge influence in my development.  Although it is a challenging lot in life, it has shaped who I am and what I do in many ways; it is part of my identity.  As an artist, I naturally express myself in the work that I create. Therefore, I felt an overwhelming urge to express the daily life and feelings of a young adult living with type 1 diabetes – a population that is essentially invisible in our society - hence my art series, Type 1 Diabetes Revealed. On a personal level, it is very therapeutic to express myself.  If I am frustrated or sad or happy or [fill in the blank] about a particular aspect of my diabetes – and can reflect upon and translate that into art – that feels good.

Moreover, living with type 1 diabetes is complicated and can often result in feelings of isolation. At these times, having a community, a forum, a website, etc. to turn to can do a whole world of good. I hope that my artwork will engage those who are interested, spark dialogue and help people with type 1 diabetes to feel understood and certainly not alone.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, Type 1 Diabetes Revealed is about social change. My goal is to increase awareness, debunk myths & stereotypes and educate about type 1 diabetes to the general public in an accurate and honest way; my hope is that in doing so, people will better understand type 1 diabetes, making the lives for those with type 1 diabetes just a little bit easier.