Artist Statement
It has been said “heaven opens behind us”. In my pursuit to become an artist there are quotes by two artists I greatly admire. Matisse once said “It takes twenty years to paint with one's heart”. For me, painting Meher Baba has given me a glimpse of that experience. Also, Bonnard simply stated towards the end of his life “I know nothing”.
Since I am trained to paint from life, the process of painting the Avatar has been a leap of faith. I focus on Meher Baba's image and begin to work as if He were posing. I am not trying solely to reproduce His image, but to use this image as a point of departure in my quest to capture and convey my experience received from meditating on His divinity.
I thank Meher Baba for the opportunity to become increasingly comfortable in this space of “unknowing” and helping me to relinquish my egoic minds need for control throughout this process.
In focusing our attention on Meher Baba's image and recognizing His divinity, the seeds are sown so that someday through His grace we may begin to get a glimpse of the divinity that lies within us all.