Once, I had gone to hear Mr. Khadem speak at LouHelen Baha’i School and to see about doing a painting for their enlarge facilities. Following his talk, Mrs. Khadem spoke on how Abdu-l’ Baha did not “choose” the Guardian but rather looked at Shoghi Effendi and saw that Shoghi Effendi WAS the Guardian. At that moment something happened! It was as if a ball of light surrounded my head, my hearing stopped, tears came down my face and I saw the painting that I was to do pass in front of my eyes – I saw mostly the gold lines and some of the colors. I had been planning to do a series on Ridvan and the garden, but this inspiration just knocked me out and so I painted the series To The Guardian, Shoghi Effendi. You can see the prints here or in the book, THE VISIONS OF SHOGHI EFFENDI.
In the summer of 1996, I was traveling around the States and a lovely Baha’i friend wanted to commission a painting. I asked her if she had a theme or a passage that she wanted me to work from. I will never forget this….she took both my hands and looked into my eyes and said “paint service to Baha’u’llah….service to Baha’u’llah”. That moment was powerful! Back in China I was struggling to create her painting when, one night in November or early December, I woke and there suspended in the corner of the room was the entire painting…all done in light…just hanging suspended in the darkness, and I heard the title, Heal The World. I memorized every part of the painting and began painting it the next morning.
To discover more about Jalaliyyih and her art click here
Author: Mike Moum
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