Art Inspired by Culture, Ethnicity, Ancestry and Anthropology
This online presentation will lift your spirits! It features extraordinary artists from around the world who enlighten us with their understanding of humanity. Their sources of creative inspiration range from places of origins, ethnicities, and ancestry, to world travels and interests in anthropology.
Each artist shares their unique and profound perspective through their inspiring visual expressions and words of wisdom — from cherished memories to their process of transformation and renewal. Most of all they convey positive messages of hope, love and unity reminding us that geographic boundaries must never divide us.
I am extremely honored and grateful to have the privilege of working with superior artists from all parts of the globe and sharing their art in our online galleries, exhibitions, and art reviews. And, I am fortunate to live in New York, one of the most diverse, multicultural cities in the world.
Enjoy learning about these artists, their backgrounds and careers. They serve as powerful catalysts for healing individuals and society, which is an integral part of The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS.
I encourage you to also visit the artists’ websites and contact them directly to purchase their art.
Rajul Shah
“A transitive, global lens that imbues my work with universal resonance.”
Rajul Shah was born in Mumbai, India and is currently based between the U.S. and Singapore. Her profound “Renewal” paintings feature the spiritual element of lines accentuated with 23kt gold leaf. They originate from the philosophy of Kinsugi, an ancient technique that exposes the cracks that occur in used in broken pottery rather than hides them.
Rajul employs these intrinsic symbolic qualities to remind us to accept our vulnerability and imperfections, tolerate those qualities in others, and perceive anything that may seem broken in all aspects of life with an enlightened perspective.
The artist states: “My oeuvre synthesizes influences from Rothko and Raza, dissolving the divide between Eastern and Western artistic thought, and reflects my identity shaped by Indian origins, U.S. upbringing, Japanese study, and my dual base in Singapore and the United States — a transitive, global lens that imbues my work with universal resonance.”
Rajul’s cross-cultural artistic formation includes mentorships with masters across diverse media, studies at Temple Tokyo Tyler School of Art and La Salle College of the Arts in Singapore. Her many worldwide exhibitions include those in Paris, Mumbai, Singapore, Kobe and the U.S.
Rajul is also the co-founder of Purple Octopus Art, LLC™. Its mission: “To provide a platform for art and expressive writing that address human and environmental ailments.”
Read an art review about Rajul’s art: Rajul Shah Creates Meditative and Empowering “Renewal” Paintings and visit Rajul’s page in our online gallery: Rajul Shah
Visit Rajul’s website: rajulshahart.com
Dr. Michael Durst
“I create art that transforms pain into possibility,
offering viewers a pathway to renewal and connection.”
Dr. Michael Durst is an artist and psychologist who I describe as “an artistic messenger of elation, hope, and wellbeing.” Originally from the U.S., he has been living in Cape Town, South Africa for more than 25 years. This gorgeous multicultural and diverse city is known for its many natural features that include the powerful, flat-topped Table Mountain and the exquisite blue waters of Table Bay.
Influenced by his natural environment and his innovative creative spirit Michael’s art, known as “Heartscapes”, express “Art from the Heart, for the Heart.” His art explores life-affirming themes as universality, unity, love and compassion. He states: “I create art that transforms pain into possibility, offering viewers a pathway to renewal and connection.”
Michael combines his masterful skills in color with his proficiency for conveying his love for humanity, nature, and all living creatures. “Spiritual Awakening”, shown above, is a transcendent painting and the quintessential expression of enlightenment.
As an internationally renowned artist Michael’s exhibitions have taken place in New York, Chicago, Cape Town, the Netherlands and India. It is an honor and pleasure to have selected Michael’s art for “The Healing Power of Resilience” juried exhibition in which he received a Special Recognition Art Award. His art has also been featured in “The Healing Power of Art: Love, Peace, Unity & Hope” 2023-2024 and “Art Inspired by Nature” 2026 exhibitions.
Read an art review about Michael’s art on our website: “Dr. Michael Durst is A Colorful Messenger of Elation and Healing”
Visit Michael’s website: HeartscapePaintings.com
Denisa Prochazka
“The human form and spirit is a constant source of inspiration for me.”
Denisa Prochazka is an award-winning classically trained figurative sculptor living in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. A superb artist with the utmost attention to detail, her outstanding works of art inspire the highest aspirations in humanity.
Denisa was born in the Czech Republic and her childhood memories include creating art in her mother’s ceramic studio. At the age of 13 her family immigrated to Canada. She studied Fine Art and Sculpture at O.C.A.D University in Toronto and completed her post-graduate year in Florence, Italy, where she was inspired by the work of Michelangelo.
Many of Denisa’s female subjects and feminine forms originate from her creative vision, “to empower and inspire the feminine balance in this world.” Some of her sculptures are created for Women’s Shelters and Auctions to support an orphanage in Africa.
Denisa was commissioned to create Awards of Excellence for the Nelson Mandela Legacy and Ottawa University, BHM; Women Excellence Awards; and Women Who Work Excellence Awards; among others. Her sculpture “Divine Play – Angel” is installed at The Yoga Garden Retreat, in La Pêche, Quebec, Canada. She has participated in many exhibitions and her sculptures reside in numerous collections in Canada and the U.S. Her art was presented in our exhibition “The Healing Power of Art: Love, Peace, Unity & Hope”.
Denisa shares: “My goal is to bring my art forward to public spaces so that passersby can find peace, beauty and healing connection for a moment in time in their life’s journey.”
Visit Denisa’s website: denisa-sculpture.com
Sandra Duran Wilson
“I grew up on the Mexican border, but we felt no boundaries.”
Sandra Duran Wilson is an internationally recognized artist, author, lecturer, and juror who lives in New Mexico. She states: “I grew up on the Mexican border, but we felt no boundaries. My brothers and I explored the land, our imaginations letting us become anything we chose. My father, a doctor, visited ranches to treat patients and I got to tag along, my mother worked in the hospital, and Ava cared for us. We spoke Spanish, and I loved her stories of the ranch. We went across the border often and never felt like we belonged on one side or the other.”
Sandra adds: “Today, I travel the world, immersing myself in new experiences, landscapes, and cultures. This openness remains my greatest inspiration.” She is also the author of six books and developed an online class that has reached students around the world.
Sandra’s innovative, award-winning mixed-media art is included in many private, corporate, and educational collections worldwide and she is represented by galleries in the U.S. and Australia. Her numerous accolades and achievements include having her message-driven art “We Are All Connected” selected for the permanent collection and installation in the Santa Fe Convention Center.
Read about Sandra’s book on this website: Awakening Your Creative Soul by Sandra Duran Wilson
Visit Sandra’s website: sandraduranwilson.com
Sandra Belitza-Vazquez
“I want others to experience the same beauty and wonder I see in the world.”
Sandra Belitza-Vazquez is an award-winning photographer, author and world traveller. She has participated in over 100 exhibitions in Mexico and the U.S.
Sandra earned a master’s degree in Anthropology at the Universidad de las Americas, in Cholula, Puebla, Mexico. She became a professor in the Department of Graphic Arts and Design at the University and returned to the U.S., in 1986, after living in Mexico for 16 years.
Sandra’s awe-inspiring photographs raise awareness about the natural beauty in nature and humanity. She exudes: “I want others to experience the same beauty and wonder I see in the world and share in the power of art to bring us joy and soothe and renew our spirit.”
Her photograph “A Life”, from her “A World Wonderland” portfolio, is of a Navajo weaver in her hogan. Sandra explains: “She and two other women demonstrated the process of preparing wool by carding the fleece first. They showed samples of the finished products – mats., rugs, etc. The years of experience and wisdom shine through without the hint of a word.”
Sandra’s book, “Museum Frissell, Heritage, Legacy and Oblivion,” will be published in 2027. It includes over 150 of her photographs of Zapotec archaeological treasures, 50 of which are currently on permanent display at the museum in Mitla, Oaxaca, Mexico in a gallery dedicated to its history.
Visit Sandra’s page on our website: Sandra Belitza-Vazquez
Visit Sandra’s website: sbvaz.com
Eva Breitfuß
“My ‘Art of Presence’ works of art invites viewers to experience presence
beyond the boundaries of culture, identity, and separation.”
Eva Breitfuss, known as Eva Breitfuß, is a contemporary abstract artist based in Bavaria, Germany. Her art is a profound narrative expression based on her personal spiritual growth. She explores consciousness, perception, and the relationship between the visible and the unseen. Eva’s titles also reveal her desire to expand and deepen our awareness.
Eva tells us: “Growing up in Germany, I often felt confined by its familiar boundaries and longed to explore the world. Living in New York opened extraordinary possibilities, yet its intensity revealed another kind of limitation. Returning to Germany, I rediscovered the beauty of nature, stillness, and spaciousness — qualities that now deeply influence my artistic expression.”
She continues: “My ‘Art of Presence’ works of art reflect this journey between freedom and belonging, inviting viewers to experience presence beyond the boundaries of culture, identity, and separation.”
Eva’s artwork has been presented in exhibitions around the world. They include the Louvre in Paris through the Exposure Award, the 4th Barcelona Art Biennial at the European Museum of Modern Art, and Fridman Gallery in NYC, NY. Her art was also selected for the Manhattan Arts International “New Beginnings” 2027 Online Exhibition.
Read an art review about Eva’s art on our website: “Artist Eva Breitfuß Transports Us and Expands Our Consciousness”
Visit Eva’s website: evabreitfuss.space
Joel Kelley
“Cherokee and Chickasaw family heritage, survival and second chances.”
Joel Kelley is an extraordinary artist who lives in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. To create his unique and transformative works of art he draws and paints on bones and antlers. He explains the sources of his inspiration are his “Cherokee and Chickasaw family heritage, survival and second chances.” He adds, “My great great grandfather was the only one in his family to survive the Trail of Tears. He was taken in by a white family that raised him from 10 years old. Interesting history.”
Joel’s deeply rooted ancestry resonates throughout his art and lifts our spirits. About his creative process he has written: “On a weathered skull, part of the composition is already there. A fracture can give a drawn line its direction. A patch of bare bone can hold as much attention as the most intricate passage of color.” When asked to describe what inspired his sculpture “Slake & Recompense” he wrote: “Seeing the potential for reinvented beauty in what people, time and the elements left to rot.” This sculpture was selected for the Manhattan Arts International “New Beginnings” 2027 Online Exhibition.
The name Broken Arrow originates from an old Creek community in Alabama. Members of that community were expelled from that state by the U.S. government, along the Trail of Tears in the 1830’s. The Creek founded a new community in the Indian Territory and named it after their old settlement in Alabama.
Visit Joel’s website: bonartbyjoel.com
Sujata Tibrewala
“I hope we will wake up and come together to solve these problems sans boundaries and backgrounds.”
Sujata Tibrewala is a multi-talented artist whose work explores “cycles of oppression, ecology, and spirituality.” She states, “Growing up in India , I saw art as part of our everyday life, painting Rangolis and setting up altars, decorations for our home and clothes for our bodies the next day. In a way it helped us escape the mundane and get lost in the creativity.” She has written: “I call my art practice Pratibimba, a Sanskrit word that means ‘reflected image’, or in this case my art is a reflected image of the world as I see it.”
About her painting “Unity Mandala” Sijuta states: “Today we live in a world which is more connected and disconnected at the same time. I hope we will wake up and come together to solve these problems sans boundaries and backgrounds, as they say vasudhaivakutumbakam or oneworld.”
Sujata is also the Founder of the Indian American Artists Association (IAAA). Its mission is “to move artists from the margins of the creative economy into the mainstream American art scene.”
Read about her important organization on our website: “World Changer Sujata Tibrewala, Artist and Founder of IAAA”
Visit Sujata’s website: sujatapratibimba.com
Josephine Florens
“Each image carries a story about what remains within us
after displacement, loss, and new beginnings.”
Josephine Florens was born in Ukraine and relocated to Germany four years ago due to the war. Many of her paintings express the trials and tribulations of human survival, endurance, resilience and renewal. Her themes encompass religion, culture, social and political concepts and more. Her website features art created during and after the war.
Josephine often calls our attention to the simple precious moments and pleasures in life as shown in her painting “Frau Brötchen and Boris”.
About her art Josephine explains: “Each image carries a story about what remains within us after displacement, loss, and new beginnings.”
Propelled by her personal history and insight she also invites us to interpret her artwork from our own personal perspective. She often imbues her art with poetic symbolism from fairytales, folklore and allegories. Her range of subjects include figurative scenarios to nature scenes to domestic animals and wildlife as well as still life and aquatic settings. Her narrative fusion of those subjects evokes feelings of endearment, empathy, and evolution.
Josephine is a member of the College Art Association, U.S., where she serves on the Annual Conference Committee, as well as a member of the Odessa Marine Art Union, Ukraine.
Visit Josephine’s website: josephineflorens.com
Bren Sibilsky
“Every human being deserves connectiveness, harmony, respect
and appreciation and their ability to pursue a better life.”
Bren Sibilsky is an internationally recognized sculptor whose art is in many collections throughout North America and Europe. Her many exhibitions include those held at the Miller Art Museum, Koehline Museum, and Fairfield Museum. Bren is also the founder and a teacher at the Algoma Atelier of Sculpture and Art in Wisconsin, where she resides.
As a masterful, spiritually guided artist, Bren creates art that embodies a reminder for us to express love, peace, unity and hope. Her love for humanity shines through her art and her words: “Every human being deserves connectiveness, harmony, respect and appreciation and their ability to pursue a better life.”
About “Winds of Change”, shown above, Bren states: “‘Winds of Change’ was inspired by the history of the Potawatomi of the Three Fires Society. They are a forest tribe, so the base depicts a forest with a campfire. The wind-swept emotion is to show a tribe that faced many changes due to being forced off their land by new settlers, rebuilding a new home with the help of a Native missionary. It is the resilience of a people to keep its story and fire alive for future generations.”
She states, “I use mankind’s myths to journey into our inner darkness in search of the blinding light of truth. l use stories of mankind, with empathy for the world we live in to understand others, ourselves and the laws of nature.”
Visit Bren’s page on our website: Bren Sibilsky
Visit Bren’s website: brensculpture.com
Vendula Kalinova
“My Czech roots remain deeply woven into my artistic expression.”
Vendula Kalinova is a New York–based author, contemporary spiritual artist, healing arts practitioner, and certified life coach originally from the Czech Republic. She is the founder of Kalinova Design™ and the creator of the Expansion & Art™.
Vendula states: “My Czech roots remain deeply woven into my artistic expression. Growing up surrounded by the romance of centuries of history, the castles, intricate architecture, ornate sculptures, cobblestone streets, and exquisite craftsmanship left an eternal visual imprint on my soul. Childhood memories of playing among swans within the grounds of historic castles are forever woven into the fabric of my self-expression. The romance, ornamentation, and timeless scenery of my homeland shape how I perceive beauty and find their way into the art I create.”
She adds, “Equally influential was my experience of necessity being the mother of invention. Experimenting with found materials nurtured my resourcefulness, versatility, and understanding that virtually anything can be transformed into art.”
Read an art review about Vendula’s art on our website: “Vendula Kalinova Creates Spiritual, Meditative and Tranquil Works of Art”
Visit Vendula’s website: kalinovadesign.com
Barbara Rachko
“Bolivia is a fascinating country with profound cultural riches, and exceptionally warm and welcoming people.”
Barbara Rachko is a world-renowned artist and author based in NYC, NY. She is highly acclaimed for her series of pastel-on-sandpaper paintings titled “Bolivianos”. Her source material includes her stunning photographs of a mask exhibition she viewed at the Museum of Ethnography and Folklore in La Paz. Her powerful works of art are also inspired by her large collection of folk art from Mexican and Guatemala.
Barbara states: “Bolivia is a fascinating country with profound cultural riches, and exceptionally warm and welcoming people. I experienced new friendships and events that were way beyond anything I could have imagined.”
In February 2026 Barbara traveled to Bolivia with a small film-crew to experience Carnival for the first time, to learn about its profound meaning, and to create another documentary film. In Oruro, she met and attended Carnival as a guest of Rodrigo Paz, the President of Bolivia.
Barbara has been proclaimed as an expert in Mexican and Guatemalan folk art. Her art not only reflects cultural norms of the past, it also speaks a universal, timeless language of emotions and ideas that will continue to resonate across decades.
For more than 40 years, Barbara been committed to elevating pastel as a fine art medium. She has exhibited her artwork in galleries around the world and spreads the message of the rich cultural heritage of Bolivia and its symbolism.
Visit Barbara’s website: barbararachko.art
More Inspirational Art for You on this Website
Artists Who Are “World Changers” In this series of articles and interviews you will read about more than 100 extraordinary creative “World Changers”. They are advocates for positive change.
Our Online Gallery This is a specialized resource for art buyers, gallery directors, curators, art consultants, healthcare program advisors, and the general public seeking to acquire art with positive, uplifting and healing qualities.
Our Art Reviews This series includes art by 33 artists and provides you with insight and understanding about a diverse selection of art and artists.
Our Exhibitions We curate exhibitions open to artists from around the world. Annual themes include “Art Inspired by Nature” and “The Healing Power of Color”. We also present many exhibitions devoted to members’ artwork.
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