About the Artist
Vimal Advani uses different art forms, including ceramics, photography, and painting, to help reduce stress and cope with diabetes. Vimal was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at age 50 but later discovered she had type 1 diabetes when weight loss and exercise did not help her A1C levels. After ending up in a diabetic coma, Vimal began using an insulin pump with great success. She now uses an insulin pump in conjunction with a glucose monitoring system, and her A1C levels have since vastly improved. Vimal has a Master of Science degree in Botany from the University of Jodhpur, in Rajasthan, India, and an Associate of Arts degree from Ohlone College, in Fremont, California. She lives in Fremont, California, with her family and has traveled the world since being diagnosed with diabetes, visiting Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America. She also lived in Singapore for many years. Vimal loves to snorkel and has been able to do so in Hawaii, the Maldives, and the Great Barrier Reef.
On the Cover: “Patios of Cordoba Spain”
During the pandemic, Vimal spent time painting her favorite destinations, including a series of paintings of patios in Cordoba, Spain. The following is a description of the artwork on the cover of this issue of Diabetes Care, titled “Patios of Cordoba Spain,” as written by the artist, Vimal Advani:
I am inspired by Claude Monet’s work and his search for the “true nature of things.” He discovered that everything is formed by the light you see it in. I find that to be very profound and a metaphor for life. I have seen many castles, palaces, and mansions, but none of them touched my heart like the simple over 100-year-old houses in Cordoba, where ordinary people create extraordinarily joyful homes decorated by vegetation and flowers and color covering the entire facade. This painting is one of a series of nine paintings of the patios of Cordoba. The morning light on the blue door and the magenta bougainvillea and structured cacti together reflecting in the glass on the doorway captivated me. During the pandemic, it made me hopeful to retreat to my studio and lose myself in these patios.