Jody Rasch is a New York-area artist now living in Westchester, but having grown up primarily in the Bronx. His work uses the metaphors of science to have us consider the world around us. He started out his career in international finance using his background to work in social justice areas including microfinance and social and environmental ratings. He is also a writer, having published three fantasy novels that that were described by one reviewer as “a mesmerizing blend of fantasy, mystery, and philosophical exploration.”

Jody believes in using his skills to help others. He is active in the not-for-profit world servicing on the board of directors of two charities, Battery Dance, that works with at-risk teens internationally in their ‘Dancing to Connect’ program. Jody also serves on the board of Woodstock Farm Sanctuary, that rescues farm animals that otherwise would be mistreated and killed as part of the food system. Jody is passionate about social justice issues and became vegan in 2006 in order to help create a more compassionate world.

Jody started his painting career in 1980, primarily painting still life and landscapes, He exhibited his work as part of the West Side Arts Coalition. In the early 1990’s he was reading books on quantum physics and wanted to incorporate the imagery of the cloud chamber into his painting. That started his obsession with the imagery and metaphors of science, starting with physics then astronomy and biology. At the age of 66 Jody decided to go back to school and get an MFA in fine art from Purchase College, which he received in 2025, along with an award for excellence. This degree is in addition to his BA in economics from the University of Michigan and an MBA in finance from NYU.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

“Art is our compass to the cosmos.”

Awe is about our connection to the profound mysteries of existence. As Dacher Keltner, professor of psychology at UC Berkeley, puts it, “[awe is] the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your current understanding of the world.”

I want this feeling, something that can elevate my understanding, something spiritual. When I was younger, I believed religion held the answers, but the more I delved into its teachings, the less meaning I found. Religion promised the spirituality I sought, yet it seemed to demand subservience and acceptance of doctrine – the very antithesis of my desires. My search for meaning continued, and as I grew older, the fear of mortality propelled me forward. I discovered the spirituality I sought in unexpected realms – quantum physics and general relativity. Quantum physics reveals that the observer creates their own reality, that uncertainty is a constant, and relativity tells us that our perceptions of space and time are relative, not absolute.
To me this was the philosophy I was looking for. It gave me a feeling of transcendence, of being part of something that was greater than myself. I wanted to find a way not only to express this feeling, but to immerse myself in it. That’s when I combined painting with science.