The Art of Tessa Pickering

In the spring of the year 2000, when I first awoke to Meher Baba and knew Him as my Master, I began to sketch Him, and this was a great comfort as I was going through a very difficult time then. When I was more settled, I got my oil paints out and painted ‘Lord Meher’ in only a few sessions. This is still my favorite portrait of Him, and it was done in a different style, the paint is thinner and I only used three colours plus white and gold. It came so quickly and directly that I realized my Master was really holding the paintbrush, not me! The idea’s flowed and I kept on painting, it was a therapy for me and gave me healing and peace. When I went to Meherabad, His home in India, I took my watercolours and it was wonderful to be able to paint His Samadhi/tomb and the beautiful scenery nearby where He had walked. This visit gave me the inspiration for more paintings, which now included Baba’s beloved Mehera – the feminine side of Baba’s Divinity. When Mohammed, the mast passed on, I ‘saw’ him in a meditation. He was like a deva- an angelic being, and he wrapped greeny/blue wings around me. I was lucky enough to see Mohammed when at Meherabad, so maybe he was more conscious of us all than he appeared to be. This vision resulted in the oil painting of Meher Baba working with the mast on the Inner Planes of Being. I have learnt too that Mohammed was on the Devic Plane. There are phases of intense work and much creative energy when painting with Baba.