We recently had the chance to connect with Jennifer Schiano and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Jennifer, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
Over the last year, I’ve been stepping into more visibility and authority through teaching art classes and workshops.
Growing up, I was often labeled as the quiet or shy kid, rather than recognized as the observant and thoughtful child I truly was. Those labels—and the unkindness that can come from peers when you’re perceived as “different”—made being in the spotlight feel uncomfortable and anxiety-inducing. I feared judgment and being misunderstood, and I never imagined I would have the capacity to teach or lead a group. Yet, despite this, I’ve consistently found myself in positions of leadership throughout my life, each time pushing the edges of my comfort zone a little further.
As I’ve moved through different phases of life and career, I worked in management and department head positions, but still felt called to pursue something more meaningful than a traditional 9–5 job with a side hustle creating custom pet portraits. I wanted to fulfill a long-held childhood dream of illustrating children’s books and discover how I could encourage others on their creative journeys.
In 2024, I started small by teaching virtual workshops about how to paint your pets in watercolor and mixed media.
This year, those workshops grew into in-person Paint Your Pet Night events through a partnership with a local small business, The Village Barkery, and I also began teaching watercolor to seniors at my town’s Recreation Center. Plans for more classes and workshops are underway, and I couldn’t be more excited. Seeing others explore, play, and find joy in their creativity has been one of the most rewarding experiences yet.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a multi-disciplinary artist and illustrator with a passion for animals, the natural world, and helping others gain confidence through creativity.
My career began in clinical photography and custom pet portrait work but has since blossomed into something much broader. Beyond embracing a new path in teaching, I’ve illustrated two children’s books since 2023. The first, Simon the Zippy Sloth, written by Carolina Bieta-El, tells the story of an ADHD sloth living in Costa Rica. Soon after, I dove headfirst into creating my own book to support and uplift those navigating a Celiac diagnosis: The Bread Devil’s Guide to Gluten Free.
This book was born from my frustration and desire to communicate the nuances and challenges of living with Celiac disease. It contains the information I wish I had been given when I was diagnosed at 27—after a lifetime of autoimmune issues and allergies.
Being diagnosed brought relief, but it also opened a whole new set of challenges: battling cross-contact, being excluded from celebrations, and constantly needing to explain that no, I can’t “just eat around it.” My journey has been one of trial, error, frustration, and deep learning.
That’s why I created the Bread Devil—a cheeky, misunderstood character born from my personal experience and artistic exploration. What began as a doodle to cope with the pain of being “glutened” evolved into a character that resonates with others in the Celiac and gluten-free communities. From educational illustrations to a pin, keychains, stickers, a plushie and now a book, the Bread Devil has truly taken on a life of his own.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I didn’t believe my voice had any power or a place to be fully expressed. Undiagnosed health challenges, social anxiety, and ADHD kept me trapped in an internal prison of self-doubt and low self-worth.
Exploring my voice through art and photography became the key to unlocking these invisible chains. Allowing myself the freedom to create and explore ideas without judgment was a true gift. Sharing my art with others—through pet portraits and selling my work at in-person events—opened my eyes to my own inner light.
Over the last decade, I’ve been on a personal journey of healing through art, both privately and publicly through my business. I’ve learned so much about myself through inner child work, meditation, and somatic practices. I now embrace my voice and recognize the power it holds to help others heal, bring joy, and so much more.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
If I could say one thing to my younger self, it would be: you have value. You are not your negative thoughts or the lies your anxious mind tells you. Believe in yourself—you have so many incredible gifts to share.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I am committed to sharing what I’ve learned in life—through all my trial and error, creatively and otherwise. As I’ve been told, I tend to do things the hard way, which has been both a blessing and a curse. While it has brought heartache and challenges, it has also yielded a great deal of wisdom.
The Bread Devil’s Guide to Gluten Free is the clearest example of this. The book and its character are my love letter to the Celiac and Gluten Free communities. I created it to help newly diagnosed kids, their families, and loved ones avoid the mistakes I made early on—and just as importantly, to support them through the emotional side of the journey.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. When do you feel most at peace?
There are two spaces where I feel the most at peace. Physically, I find it in nature—away from technology, soaking up the sun, listening to the trees and birds. The other is when I am creating.
Drawing and painting often bring me a deep sense of calm once I enter the flow and stop judging what emerges on the page or canvas. It feels as though something unlocks within me, and my busy mind quiets, no longer chattering from thought to thought.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jenniferschiano.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferschiano/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenniferschianostudio/
- Other: [email protected]
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