Dr J.O. Bernard, known to friends as “Jara,” wears many hats. He is a neurosurgery resident in Nairobi currently pursuing his Masters in Neurosurgery, an accomplished visual artist with a signature love for red, and an author who recently published his second book, In the Absence of Presence, a collection of poems and letters.
What Bernard has mastered is the art of working simultaneously with his varied talents. His days are filled with a constant interplay of hands and mind, moving seamlessly between medicine, art, and literature.
Bernard began painting seriously in 2017. Before then, he had dabbled in sketches and doodles as a medical student, viewing art as subservient to his medical career.
It was personal grief and the transition into adulthood that pushed him toward the canvas.
“I had a short stint with depression, so art became catharsis,” he says. “At first, it was just an outlet, but I realised I could also pursue it professionally. I was in Kisumu at the time, and when I came back to Nairobi, everything fell into place.”
His early professional steps in Nairobi followed a two-year stay in Kisumu and a stint at the Wan Art Gallery. While Kisumu exposed him to lake landscapes, cerulean waters, and fish mosaics, he felt the artistic scene there was too narrow.
“I tried to go professional in Kisumu, but it wasn’t vibrant enough for my palate. When I returned to Nairobi, it felt like the dots were connecting themselves,” he says.
Beautiful Man Acrylic on Canvas, taken at the artists studio in Nairobi in November 2025.
Photo credit: Pool
Bernard credits an invitation to an exhibition by Onyis Martin as his entry point into the art world. It was there he found his voice, understanding art as a tool for communication.
“Every artist must push their voice to its furthest limit. Everything I put on canvas has to matter; I don’t paint for the sake of it,” he explains.
Through painting, he developed a deeper appreciation for anatomy, particularly when aligning his figures.
Seasoned artist Coaster Ojwang challenged his approach and pushed his boundaries, leading to a creative partnership so close their works sometimes became indistinguishable. Bernard’s talent was eventually recognised when Onyis Martin invited him to exhibit at the Shifting Tides exhibition.
Balancing medicine and art has always been central to Bernard’s philosophy.
“In 2017, I realised medicine and art can coexist. Traditionally, we are told to specialise, but I discovered that pursuing multiple interests simultaneously is possible. Reading Winston Churchill’s biography, I learnt he was an artist as well as a commander and a statesman. If he could do it, I could too.”
Writing is another facet of Bernard’s life. His literary journey began in primary school, matured through high school, and eventually led to the publication of two books: Everything Has Wings and In the Absence of Presence. The latter, inspired by Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, was written amid personal grief, following the loss of a close family member and a former partner.
Shield and Buckler, Acrylic on Canvas, taken at the artists studio in Nairobi in November 2025.
Photo credit: Pool
“Grief has been the toughest theme to address, both in my life and in my writing,” he says.
In his painting, Bernard’s signature is the red background, a subtle spotlight that accentuates his figures without overwhelming them. His delicate manipulation of light and shadow gives each figure a quiet authority, like introverts owning the back of a room: understated yet commanding.
How does he manage it all?
“I sleep less,” he laughs. “Time is constant for everyone, but I maximise what I am given. Projects often see me working from 1 am to 5 am, and my social life takes a hit. I deliberately organise my time to accommodate both art and medicine.”
