It’s a Picture That’s Worth 1,000 Words : ‘Star Wars’ Artists Tim and Greg Hildebrandt’s Newest Work Aims to Raise Awareness of Diabetes

Slaying the dragon called diabetes is a cause dear to the hearts of famed illustrators Tim and Greg Hildebrandt. Tim is a diabetic, as is Greg’s daughter, Mary.

To raise awareness of the disease, the twin brothers--perhaps best known for their “Star Wars” posters--have created “Slaying the Dragon of Diabetes,” a painting currently on view, together with their “Star Wars” art, at Every Picture Tells a Story gallery.

The original painting will be auctioned later this spring, with proceeds earmarked for the Diabetes Prevention Program, a nationwide clinical trial sponsored by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health.

An estimated 16 million people in the United States have been found to have diabetes, and 5 million more are believed to have the disease, whose complications include blindness and cardiovascular disease.

UCLA [(310) 559-0774] and USC [(213) 226-7972] are seeking volunteers at risk for noninsulin-dependent diabetes--those older than 45, overweight, with a family history of diabetes or who had diabetes during pregnancy--to take part in the trial. Each participant will receive a limited edition reproduction of “Slaying the Dragon of Diabetes.”

The painting can be seen through April 15 at Every Picture Tells a Story, 7525 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles. The gallery is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.