about.
Hi, I’m Katie Henderson — a visual artist based in South Wales. I make work where creativity, health, and lived experience come together. I’m especially passionate about the role of the arts in health and aspire to help shape creative, patient-led projects within NHS settings here in Wales.
Much of my work explores what it’s like to live with Type 1 diabetes — not just the medical facts, but the emotional, physical, and psychological reality of the condition. Living with long-term complications, following difficult control during my teenage years, has had a lasting impact on me. It’s also given me a deep sense of empathy for others navigating their own health challenges. Using visual art helps me make sense of my experience, and I’m interested in how creativity can offer that same space for reflection, connection, and care to others. That lived experience runs through everything I do, both in my own practice and when working alongside others.
Beyond making the work, I care deeply about what it makes possible. I want it to open honest conversations about chronic illness, break down assumptions, and create space for people to feel seen and heard. For me, creativity is a tool for meaningful conversations, deeper understanding, and improved care.
I graduated with a BA (Hons) in Creative and Therapeutic Arts in 2023 and am currently studying for a Master’s in Arts Practice, focusing on Arts, Health and Wellbeing.
the glucose diaries.
The Glucose Diaries project seeks to illuminate the complexities of my diabetes and glucose management through an exploration of interdisciplinary approaches. Using a month’s worth of precise glucose graph data as a reference, I aimed to transform the self-perceived shame and embarrassment often associated with fluctuating glucose levels by reframing them in new and innovative ways. Beyond shifting my attitude and gaining new perspectives on my glucose readings, the project has provided an effective context to reflect on my daily glucose patterns, promoting positive behavioural changes and improved self-management as a result.
