Jhuma Das
Hey there, I am a computational drug discovery scientist/biophysicist at a Biotech company pioneering oncology and rare disease related therapies. I dedicate my long days with utmost focus and diligence to medical biophysics research, however my life is incomplete without a dip in art. I have been a painter and a dancer all of my life. Without art, my identity feels incomplete and lifeless. It is my exploration as an artist that makes me push the boundaries of traditional thinking, challenge age-old definitions and discover new ways of witnessing the beauty of the universe and understanding life with a child-like curiosity. My dedication to science and my love for art stem from my passion for contributing positively to the human experience.
“I believe every one of us is a beautiful embodiment of our complex, myriad layers of colors, depths and shades. Each of us holds an untapped mine of creativity within ourselves. So be bold – unleash yourself to the fullest and do so unapologetically. That is undoubtedly the best gift you could give to yourself and to this universe. My innermost dream is that my art will awaken you, inspire you to chase and live your wildest dreams, recognize your unseen potential and express your inner beauty to the world.”
My Journey as an Artist …
… began at a very young age in India. I have been a fine arts student for several years. During those years, I learned to draw and paint a wide range of pieces from nature, still life, to portraits using pastel and water colors. Later in my scientific career, I needed to step back from arts and focus on my studies. At one point I let people make me believe that I can’t be an artist and be a scientist simultaneously. I dropped my art for almost ten years of my life. I think that is my biggest mistake because I should have fought for my principle. I should have acknowledged my deepest yearning to continue to being a Scientist with a heart of an Artist. Through life’s experiences, one day I was awakened to realize my existence as a scientist and as an artist are the essence of my being, without one the other will perish. On the day I decided to pick up my brushes again, put on my dancer’s shoes, was one of the happiest days of my life. I was suddenly free again – in the world of colors and imaginations. Be it dance, science or painting, my approach to life is to connect with every living, breathing being through authentic expressions. While I love paintings of all kinds, naturalism wasn’t enough for me to unleash innermost feelings as I matured – so I leaned in to abstract expressionism in the hope of expressing my innermost thoughts. I found that the rich, vibrant colors, structured and unstructured brush strokes – everything that defines abstract art provides me with limitless freedom in communicating my deepest emotions. Whenever I find myself searching for words to express complex, layered, unspoken feelings, I choose color and brush strokes instead.