I spent the last few months immersed in the teachings of Neem Karoli Baba (the guru of Ram Dass).

Once I completed this portrait of him, I noticed that I started to have little conversations with him throughout the day. If I would feel his spirit, or find something I was looking for, or feel a blanket of good energy over me, I would say a silent thank you to him.

 

 

One morning after my meditation time, I asked him to show me a very clear sign of what I should work on next. A few hours later, I felt an impulse to share the portrait I made of him with my niece (who I had not spoken to in many years). I knew that she was a Krishna Devotee and thought she might know who Baba was and enjoy it.

 

 

krishna devotee

She quickly sent me a text asking me if I could recreate an image of Krishna hugging a devotee.

My first instinct was YES!!

(and thank you Baba for the clear and direct message of how my art should be unfolding).

My next instinct was...how on earth am I going to draw a blue face and why is his face blue and who is this guy and why is the girl hugging him?

My niece sent me a few books on Krishna Consciousness, I loved reading about the history of the Hare Krishna movement and how the Beatles and even the Grateful Dead were connected to it.

A new friend happened to give me a bag full of tiny little tie-dye scraps, which turned out to be perfect for Krishna's arms and body.

 

 

The original Krishna Devotee fabric art already has a forever home. But if you want prints or other pretty items with this image, check out my store.

If you have a story about the magic of Neem Karoli Baba or anything related to Krishna Consciousness, drop me a note - I would love to hear it!

Stay Groovy,

Karen