Amber Christian Osterhout

Born and raised in Syracuse, NY, I am one of five siblings. As a shy child in a large family, art has brought life to my imagination and has shown others what I am not able to express with words.

My love for creativity has never overshadowed my interest in medicine. As a long-term goal to become a doctor, I obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Le Moyne College, Syracuse, NY, with intentions of becoming a physician's assistant. However, I soon realized how important it was to me to allow my creative side to flourish. I decided to go back to college and study graphic design, and at the same time, I worked as a tissue culture technician at Taconic Biotechnology. Two years later, I received an Associate of Arts degree in graphic design from Sage College, Albany, NY.

I currently work at Shannon-Rose Design, Saratoga Springs, NY, as an art director. Working in this field has shown me the role graphics play in all forms of communication. When my brother was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, I was inspired to create an art exhibit titled Gaining Insight. This exhibit is designed to educate others about the reality of mental illness. Through this exhibit, I was able to demonstrate both my creative and educational backgrounds to examine the relationship between mental illness and stigma.