I loved art since I can remember. As a child, I loved to draw and started practicing calligraphy at 9 years old. I studied Fine Art (drawing, painting and sculpture) for three years in college and studied Graphic Design and Photography for two additional years. I graduated from State University of New York at Purchase College with a BFA in 1996.

I worked as a Graphic Designer/Junior Art Director at Atlantic Records in Manhattan from 1996 - 1999. I started off designing ads, cassettes and promotional singles ~  and over the years moved into designing cd packaging and managing and art directing photo-shoots. In 2000, I worked for Red Herring Design as a Senior Art Director also designing cd packaging and art directing and managing photo-shoots.

In 2001, I made the decision to go freelance in order to take a year long yoga teacher training course and have experiences I couldn't have while working a full-time job. I worked at Martin Deporres House of Hospitality, a soup kitchen and resource center in the Mission of San Francisco. I painted murals. I cooked at retreat centers, bed and breakfasts and for Food Not Bombs. And I sat and served on Vippassana meditation retreats. I taught children's art classes in Los Angelos and was a yoga facilitator and caretaker for an amazing girl with cerebral palsey.

And on New Year’s Eve of 2010, I became a mom. And my new focus became my baby and building a home-based design business, which over the last decade has evolved into self publishing creative books.

I also run Jen Barbato’s Vegan Kitchen, a website advocating for a vegan life.