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In 1977 Pieter Weltevrede met his guru Sri Harish Johari, who was teaching spiritual sciences like chakras, tantra, yoga, numerology etc. Johari was a multitalented artist, who created the Harish Johari wash-technique, that originated in the school of Rabindranath Tagore (Santi Niketan). It is a master technique in watercolors with many washes in gouache. It is a great technique to paint light and to create a three-dimensional effect.

Like his guru he creates his own images of the deities, that are based on the sculptures of the ancient temples like Elephanta, Ellora and Khajuraho. In the beginning his guru asked him: "Why?" Then he replied: "I don't know anything about them. I just love them!"

Since 1980 Pieter devoted his time to master this technique and to study Sanatan Dharma. In 1988 he went for the first time to India and met also the art teacher of Johari: Sri Chandra Bal. The teachings culminated in the creation of the book "the Birth of Ganga" with 50 paintingsdone on silk in the wash technique. After that Pieter created together with Harish Johari and his brother Suresh Johari the book "Little Krishna". In 1999 Harish Johari left his body.

After this Pieter published 3 more children's books with Inner traditions: "How Ganesha got his Elephant Head", "How Parvati Won the Hearth of Shiva" and "Ram the Demon Slayer". Also he contributed to many books of his guru like "Chakras", "Numerology", 'Leela", "Ayurvedic Massage" and "the Monkey and the Mango Tree".

The last years Pieter is studying the different forms of the deities and their meaning for our inner life. These man-made images refer to living concepts like beginning, creation, life, prana, death, samadhi, elements, planets, art, religion, yoga etc. Together with Victor and Kooch Daniels he wrote a book on Chakras, where he explains the spiritual message behind the images of the main deities. The book will be published in the spring of 2017 by Inner Traditions. He also contributed with his images in the latest book of David Frawley on "Shiva".

Since the beginning Pieter is also teaching yantra, mandala and deity painting in the Harish Johari wash-technique. First in Holland and later on in the USA and India. Ifone does yoga, one has to do something with art. Painting is a way to stay in a meditative mood for days and days. A great way of doing bhajan. Pieter created many yantra-mandalas, where he used the mandala to play with the symbols associated with ayantra. They are the result of study, meditation and surrender to the Divine.

Pieter and his wife Geva are still going every year to India to study and practice the Hindu way of living. Besides Haridwar (Ganga) they also stay with Sri Avadh Behari Das Kathiababa in Indore (Narmada) in the hearth of India. They have three children.

Pieter is born in 1955, married and has three children. He lives in the Netherlands. He has a master's degree in social science.

About Pieter Weltevrede Collection

Dutch artist Pieter Weltevrede paints images of the Hindu pantheon, and expresses abstract ideas such as creation, life, death, Samadhi (or meditative consciousness), in a wash technique devised by his guru, Sri Harish Johari. This technique involves painting in watercolour with a number of washes using gouache. Weltevrede's paintings therefore have an inherent luminescence, harking back to the times of the Bengal School Masters.

This collection highlights the artist's studies of the forms of Hindu gods, and their relevance and meaning in life today. His abstract works express his understanding of philosophies linked with Hinduism. Weltevrede has held numerous workshops on his guru's wash technique in Holland, the USA and India.