Em Sixteen was born in 1978 in New Jersey and moved to New York City in 1997. In 2001, she received her BFA from Parsons School of Design in Fine Arts and her BA from Eugene Lang College in Writing and Sociology. In 2009, she received her MFA in Studio Art from Rutgers, Mason Gross School of the Arts. She has also studied Integrated Media Arts in Hunter College’s MFA program and printmaking at the School of Visual Arts.

Em is dedicated to addressing classism, racism, and gender issues through her writing and art. She works in a variety of mediums, including digital art, drawing, video, writing, tattooing and printmaking. She is interested in exploring difference and human connection through the personal stories told in her art. The riot grrrl, queer, zine, and punk movements were strong influences to her early work and gender, racism, and sexuality are important issues in her current body of work. She emphasizes working on art with her friends and community. In 2004, she was co-editor and designer for the now retired riffRAG, a political art magazine that showcased the work of emerging artists and writers. She spent her primitive years working as a community art educator and counselor for adults and at-risk youth in the city. She currently teaches drawing, video, and graphic design and works as a Designer and Tattoo Artist in Brooklyn, NY.