Frances Babb - Tejaswi
Yogi Artist
The open skies of New Mexico helped to create the inner palate of Frances’ mind from a young age with the varied colors of nature from sunrises and sunsets that would set the world on fire with color every day. Her mother taught her to greet each day by silently observing the rising of the sun and closing each day in silence as the sun set. The night skies wer
e a mass of stars and planets opening her curious mind about the universe. These poetic beginnings still influence Frances now in her work, which you can
see in the bright colors she uses and her choice of subjects - Mars, agates, flowers, the ocean and the skies. Her love and appreciation of flowers began when she was three delighting in the smells, textures and sometimes the flavor,she was known to even eat the iris. “Painting flowers is such a joy and I have begun to see in them the heart of creation unfolding.” One can see that her subconscious mind creates flowers that reflect the feminine. Perhaps the influence of Georgia O’Keefe, is a reason for this. Being a dancer, actor and yogi over the years allowed Frances to be expressive through her body and painting now allows for a different type of expression. As part of self discipline over the past 30 years she would meditate every day. In that practice there would be techniques of visualization to open the mind to deeper vistas. A result of this was the arrival of images from the other side. Frances’ work has evolved over the years because of these inner visions. At first they were very geometric, precise and deliberate in form, Yantras for meditation. In time the precision gave way to a more creative wildness. Yantras are the source geometric shape of the elements. Her Mars Series was inspired by the photos from NASA of the landscape of Mars. So began the MARS Series using a blend of texture and paint to add an element of life to the work. The Agates bring to life an almost glass like depth revealing the color and fire hidden in the stones of the earth. Frances takes about the process of painting the agates, “Here is where I really began to understand that there is something within the human mind that works in a way that one may call the Muse - to me the Muse is an unseen hand that guides my hand in my work for there are those moments when would step back and view my handiwork with an AWE!! A clear sense of the something else, the Divine, working through me. “