Well, here we find ourselves my dear reader. Back with regional wars happening all over the globe. It only escalates doesn’t it? Hatred and fear are palpable and contagious. Feral, primal, animalistic. Everyone is affected negatively by the emergence of many global conflicts, and artists are not different in being drenched in sadness. This week I was reading an article about the various art forms artists have used to express the emotions and devastation of war.

Here are 7 depictions of war by famous artists.

Humans have quite a history with war. We like to polish it up, pin medals on combatants and make it seem very heroic. What it is, is a failure of humanity and a dark, dark tragedy. Devastation of humans, the landscape, the water, the air. Seeing birds fly away from huge explosions brings it to the forefront of – are we destroyers of the beautiful planet we were given? GIFTED TO PROTECT. Or are we brave conquerers who are enriching ourselves and dominating? It’s all in the mindset isn’t it? War, is the failure of diplomacy and communication. There is nothing glorious or good about war… we only make it seem so to justify actions.

War is not a leader who is victorious. War is a system of dehumanization and elimination. It is a wiping of anything pure, good and holy. It is an attack on everything divine. Until we see it for what it is, we have no hope of eliminating it.

Those left in the wake of war do their best to scramble to safety and explain to others who is the aggressor. The victim and aggressor change with time and perspective and yes, truth, after the propaganda of war has faded. Every war has the hindsight of failure and corruption. Every war.

Are you being emotionally, physically or economically affected by war? Is it near, or far… but feels imminent? Have you written out your feelings? Maybe done like these few artists listed above and painted the truth of war?
I am thinking of everyone globally as we all reckon with this level of human failures. Time to think, time to access, time to filter and discern.

I am sending my wish for safety for every human on this planet, yes, even ones who are filled to the brim with hatred. May you be safe enough to consider what we are all doing to each other. May hearts be changed and minds cleared. May we persist in peace and preservation, not destruction. Because hatred, war, devastation, only create more of the same. We were warned that our planet may not be able to manage the sustaining of humanity much longer. Did we heed this warning and work together? Or did we panic and grab for more and more resources at ANY cost?

Persist in peace, until we talk again.