cloud ring

A crimson monolith arises amid soft clouds of grey and aqua. They swirl gently around the fiery pillar, caressing its ardent surface. "I am obsessed with the concept of power," Made Ardika muses. "I use red here to express its force. It stands out against the calmer colors that surround it." The Balinese artist works in acrylics on canvas to create the dramatic painting.

This breathtaking kalamkari painting is an original work by Dr. Sneh Gangal. The Indian artist works in acrylics on canvas to paint the large and dramatic composition of a Tree of Life. Indian kalamkari painting is an ancient art form that was originally done on textiles such as scrolls and temple hangings.

A pair of lovebirds nestle together in this original painting by Rawat Vongla in Thailand. The birds are in paradise, surrounded by flora and foliage as well as magical clouds of pink and purple. The dreamy painting is created in acrylic on canvas.

"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," the artist explains, adding, “To achieve a state of inner peace is an inspiration for all. Through meditation, Lord Buddha attained inner peace, which inspired him to work for world peace. The end of greed, hatred and delusion is the state of Nirvana, which describes the Buddhist path and spiritual goal to mark the soteriological release from rebirth in the world.”

In this World Peace Project painting by Bharti, within a gray realm of absence, Buddha is depicted as a meditating silhouette adorned with a sacred lotus flower and turquoise. The lack of interruptions in the background highlights the sole importance of one's self in achieving nirvana, because worldly objects cloud the mind.

Bharti Dayal created this painting to celebrate the path of Nirvana in the quest for peace.