‘Scientist who quit job to paint lands first solo art exhibit’
By Eleanor Duffy
Henry Jabbour quit his medical research job in order to pursue a love of art
Photo - Colin Hattersley
An Edinburgh scientist is to open his first solo art exhibition after leaving behind his career to follow his dream.
Henry Jabbour worked for nearly 20 years in the Medical School at Edinburgh University but quit in 2010 to pursue his love of art full-time.
Despite training to be a biologist, Henry found his true calling in painting and has since studied at Leith School of Art in Edinburgh and the New York Academy of Art.
His prints and portraiture work have won praise in the art world and he is now preparing for the launch of his first solo exhibition this weekend.
The public display is set to open its doors on March 4 at the Union Gallery in Edinburgh and will feature Henry's original paintings and prints.
Although he was in an academic profession for two decades, Henry would spend every moment of his spare time painting.
Despite being a team leader, owning his own lab and being offered a Chair in the medical school, he knew that his heart was no longer in it.
"It took me a long time to make the decision," he says. "Bit by bit, my passion for art outgrew my passion for the science."
But after his mind had been made, Henry felt nothing but relief. He became immersed in his paintings, and after studying for several years at Leith School of Art in Edinburgh applied for a Masters at the New York Academy of Art.
Read the full article at the STV website