natural makeup

Mother nature begins with the tree of life in this World Peace Project painting by India's Bharti Dayal. As Mother Nature sits cross-legged, resembling a heart, she extends her limbs upwards, branching out into a full-grown tree with pink leaves and lotus flower motifs.

The artist explains that the unification of the female form and the tree suggests that femininity is in its essence peaceful. Just as Hinduism advocates the continuous growth of oneself and the pursuit of inner peace, 'Feminine Tree' depicts the figurative source of peace as the self, independent of the surrounding world.

The artist uses natural vegetable colors to depict this symbolic scene of Mother Nature existing within an empty gray domain, sprouting with vibrant pink, directing one's attention to the peaceful heights reached in the feminine universe.

Dayal carefully arranges her composition to tell the story of the tree of life, employing the classic Madhubani painting style. "Madhubani paintings are in fact a simplistic manifestation of the philosophical heights achieved by Indian civilization for the universal power of love, longing and peace -- the quest of all beings," Dayal says.

"A painter has a very abstract option of beauty to describe achieving peace. Beauty is infinite in this world full of peace with love for God, family, and the environment. By respecting others and caring for each other, this world will become beautiful and peaceful. If not us, who else can begin to create peace?" says Nyoman Tomblos.

"Starting in nature, peace finds its way to every corner of the globe, to every human and every animal." The Balinese artist creates an expressionist composition within the realm of the pointillist style. Every detail is created with vibrant colors. This painting suggests that all peace on Earth originates from the three main Hindu gods of Bali.

Titled "Khayangan Tiga Temple," which means "The Three Main Temples."

As a new day dawns on the orange horizon, every subject of the Earth awakens to a heavenly glow. The line between realism and fantasy stimulates the human imagination just as dreaming of a world flourishing with peace.

Ida Ratna Ningrum conceptualizes the beginning of a new era of peace in this enchanting painting as she depicts an idyllic view into a blooming world of nature. The artist explains that the young girl sits protected under a tree in a thriving green field of harmonious flowers, far from the clutches of monolithic urban society. Finding hope in nature, the young girl embraces a dim globe to bring rejuvenation and a return to innocence, symbolizing the human concept of harmony.

Circling above, a flock of doves foreshadows the cleansing of the world's conscience, themselves being symbols of purity and modesty since ancient times. As humanity is both destined and doomed to a cyclical existence, the arrival of ancient symbols signals great changes to come.

"My definition of world peace is the desire of every human being, all who decide and choose to be at peace in their own way. If humans realize we can all choose to make peace by asking God to give us a heart that is peaceful and calm, then there will be no war. My hope for world peace is that all human beings can individually create something good and respect each other, and then peace will be established," the artist confides.

"Peace can be realized by mutual tolerance and love for one another. This can start from the smallest circle, namely the family. Instill a sense of love and peace from an early age so that in the future there will be mutual respect," artist Ida Bagus Lawa Bargawa confides.

"Peace is always beautiful, always starts with a smile, and any problem can be discussed. Differences are natural and, as long as they don't hurt each other, peace can still be realized. Peace is closely related to mutual tolerance, listening, and understanding, and reducing unnecessary debate is an important key.

"Keep peace and maintain it, because to get it requires a great sacrifice. Peace cannot be maintained by violence, it can only be achieved by understanding peace within ourselves and peace in the world. Peace is a daily, weekly, and monthly process of gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, and quietly building new structures.

"My hope for world peace is that what is an aspiration for the progress of a country will be reflected in the harmonious relations of all countries in this world. For this reason, all countries must be able to help each other stabilize the world's economy. Welfare within a country will have a good impact on the path of world peace."

To illustrate these thoughts and dreams, the artisan brings us a captivating composition made with traditional batik techniques. Crafted in Bali, it is a tribute to peace and unity, depicting joined hands surrounding the world and upholding the peace symbol. Every element adds a message of friendship, love and cooperation.

"My definition of world peace is the desire of every human being who decides and chooses to be at peace in their own way. If humans realize we can all choose to make peace by asking God to give us a heart that is peaceful and calm, then there will be no war. My hope for world peace is that all beings can individually create something good and respect each other, and then peace will be established," says Ida Ratna Ningrum.

The artist advocates for harmony and goodwill with her daydream-like painting "Pray for Peace." With idyllic realism, Ida creates a desert landscape symbolic of societal conflicts and scarcity, dominated by a prayerful young woman in a pink dress.

The artist explains that the cat and white rabbit symbolize rebirth and new beginnings, respectively, as they accompany the girl in her quest for peace. Circling above, white doves soar freely, symbolizing the release of a new period of peace under a pure blue sky. Thriving around the young woman, cacti, prickly pears and aloe represent the protection provided by mother nature, even in times of friction. An encouraging reminder of human resilience, the painting calls for a new peaceful era on planet Earth.

"Peace is the desire of every human being around the world," says the artist. "Prayer is a method of expression from a person to God and the universe. A sad girl sees a beautiful world without any feelings of peace, as if there is always war. She prays to God that the world will always be at peace without any war. If the world is free from war, the world will be peaceful, serene, and prosperous."

Balinese artist Made Pasek Kusuma Wijay chooses to express his plea for world peace in a painting depicting a woman's prayer. "The state of the world is not fine, given the many wars, conflicts between countries and very heartbreaking human tragedies," says the artist. "Let us pray sincerely that the world situation will return to peace as we strive to live a more simple, carefree life with mutual respect and tolerance between our existing differences. Despite the conditions of the world, we always yearn for peace itself.

"Galloping across a surreal mountain landscape, a team of horses carries forward the hope of an entire society from the lofty reality of the highlands to the life of the commoner below. Riding on the back of a bird resembling the Hindu god of strength, Garuda, a faceless woman prays to the divine spirits, having passed through a period of blood and turbulence. Garuda also prays with his human-like hands as if to encourage himself to continue his mission of vigilance.

"Reflected in the grass of the mountains, the woman's prayers mirror above and below the path of the raptor, symbolizing the transverse support from across the country for her mission. A handshake arises from the woman's mind in a floral accord between two immortal parties.

"In a world plagued by conflict and the horrors of violence, the woman's prayer, the subtle handshake and the impressive flight of the god of strength prescribe peace for all of humanity. Realism cannot deliver this humane desire to reality.

"Scaled to surreal proportions, the woman's prayers make multiple appearances in increasing size, while the mighty bird soars above an entire team of horses, with various hands apparent."