About the Artist

Alan Chait, MD, is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA, where he has held a number of significant positions, including Head of the Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition; Director of the University’s Nutrition Obesity Research Center; and Principal Investigator of a National Institutes of Health–funded project on macrovascular disease in diabetes. Alan’s research has focused on the basic mechanisms responsible for the development of atherosclerosis, a critical component of cardiovascular disease. He has also spent time caring for patients with lipid disorders. Cardiovascular disease and lipid disorders are major complications for people with diabetes.

Alan has had a long-standing interest in photography, taking his first photos as a teenager in South Africa. Being red-green colorblind influenced his artistic journey, initially leading him to explore the monochromatic world of black and white imagery. Quickly evolving, he soon discovered the beauty in the unique colors he perceives, which viewers are invited to interpret in his vibrantly colorful abstract photography, which challenges our conventional notions of the use of color in artwork.

Alan uses his camera to “paint” images, transforming ordinary subjects into visual works of art reminiscent of the strokes and textures of traditional paintings. In addition, he prints his photographs on archival matte or watercolor papers using archival inks, further enhancing the painting-like appearance of his photographs. Alan has showcased his work in several solo and group art exhibitions, and his portfolio can be found at alanchait.com.

On the Cover: “Seattle Space Needle”

The following is a description of the artwork on the cover of this issue of Diabetes Care, titled “Seattle Space Needle,” as written by the artist, Alan Chait:

This is one of a series of abstract images I have made of the Space Needle in Seattle. This particular piece is a reflection photographed in one of the outside glass structures that is part of the Chihuly Garden and Glass at the Seattle Center. My “self-portrait” is in the lower right corner of the photograph.

Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered. More information is available at https://www.diabetesjournals.org/journals/pages/license.