Vision of Death & Ascension

Watercolor on Paper by Phyllis Ott

9.5" X 12" 

January 30, 1969

Painted at around midnight on January 30, 1969 in her upstairs studio in Myrtle Beach while the family was asleep, Phyllis Ott did this watercolor. The following day, on hearing that Meher Baba had passed away the previous day at noon India time, she believed she had painted this at the very moment that Baba was passing away. Additionally, she later heard that Eruch turned blue giving Baba mouth-to-mouth recitation trying to revive him. The pale horse (death?) appears to be waiting for Baba.

Early the next morning, while still not knowing that Baba had passed away the night before, Phyllis painted a second watercolor. The second o
ne depicts an angel carrying Baba upward into the sky. Not knowing why she painted it, she later felt it reflected Christian ideas of the ascension. For this reason she later named the series of two watercolors, "Vision of Death & Ascension."

People have said the watercolors are too personal to interest anyone outside the family. Therefore I'm giving them to my daughter and grandson. The paintings shed light on Phyllis as an intuitive painter and I have always felt they are of great value. Phyllis felt this way too, considering the came she took in framing and preserving them.