Balagopala. Bhaskara Raju
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Charlie Mills
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One of the jewels of Kendra’s blogspot. Balagopala is described simply as an 'artist, performer and teacher in Andhra Pradesh' and must surely be well known to many Baba lovers, but for me it was a marvellous surprise to discover his work. Just two portraits displayed of the hundreds of paintings he has done. Those two have a stunning intensity of colour and feeling. Kendra’s notes give interesting background details.
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Charlie Mills began painting Meher Baba in 1979 and has completed more than 200 works featuring Beloved Baba, the mandali and landscapes of his home in India. Baba lovers everywhere know his Myrtle Beach paintings, “Long Lake Morning” and “The Boathouse” with their wonderfully impressionistic play of light and colour, and his portraits of Baba such as the “Guruprasad” profile, are also much loved. It is worth re-visiting this website for his more recent (2008) portraits of Baba: “The Real Me” wonderfully painted with soft skin tones and a youthful, almost childlike quality; and also, “My Great Uncle”, a radiant representation of Baba’s beaming smile.
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Cherie Plumlee
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David Berry
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Cherie Plumlee does an original line in cards. As with much of the art reviewed here, many of the works are familiar to Baba lovers. The Plumlee cards feature a range of what I call ‘pendant’ pictures of Baba, each in its own cameo setting of flowers or birds such as cranes, all perfectly designed and executed. But the site has the added interest of picture portrait cards such as “Divine Invitation” and the haunting “Merwan”. I was also struck by her “Golden Reflections” portrait of Baba with Seclusion Hill in the background; and the lovely “Garden of Being” and “The Gift”. And if you visit this website, you can’t miss “Jai Meher Baba!” – Baba mounted on his winged white steed at full gallop across a fairytale cloudscape, brandishing a silver sword!
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David Berry’s website offers two sections: ‘The Art Times’ ‘dedicated to bring you spiritually uplifting artwork and information and to enjoy art more’; and ‘The New Humanity Times’ which aims to present stories and scientific news with a spiritual focus. Select the ‘Art’ option and enjoy an amazing collection of creative compositions which reveal Baba in a variety of unexpected and dramatic surroundings. “Surrender” is one of the ‘Ocean’ prints depicting a winching rescue from lashing waves; “Coal Miner” shows Baba wearing a pit helmet, his eyes looking directly at you from the darkness, his face blackened with dust. “Swans” and “As I Should Be Loved” are gentler and beautiful as are the variety of his paintings of birds, flowers and wildlife.
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Diana LePage
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Marius – Michael George
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I didn’t find a website dedicated to the work of Diana LePage. I guess the new Pilgrim Retreat at Meherabad does the job better! But Kendra has featured eleven of a series of breathtaking portraits of Baba painted by Diana that were exhibited recently at the Myrtle Beach Centre.
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The transcendental painting this San Francisco-based artist created of Meher Baba was featured on the front cover of ‘Love Street Lamp Post’ and is now available in poster form. I went to the website of this professional artist who has an amazing range of work on display. Well worth a visit if you are interested in seeing more of his work, though the LSLP cover seems to be the only picture of Baba.
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