Share Your First Encounter With Grey's Art...

Would love to hear from others who would like to share their first encounter with Alex’s work.
 
Many of the people I talk to about Alex's work have very vivid memories of their first encounter with the art. It's usually followed by a story about a series of synchronistic events that led to the two paths crossing. It's a truly remarkable phenomenon, and for me, representative of the universal hand at work to bring this type of material to those who are meant to view it as well as serving as a common thread to connect all who have been touched or inspired by the work.

My first encounter came in my senior year of high school living in Boca Raton, Florida of all places. I was preparing to attend Florida State University and just beginning to form my intentions as a filmmaker, artist, and individual. A friend of mine working for a bookstore (that shall remain nameless) permenantly borrowed Alex's first artbook called “Sacred Mirrors”. It was my first introduction to Perennial Philosophy and briefly layed out the evolution of art history, including the unlimited potential that the future holds. It left an indelible impression and allowed me to set a course for my own artistic career, approaching my studies with the understanding of the important role artists play in the movement for positive social change and the responsibility we carry in progressing not only the evolution of any particular artform, but that of human consciousness itself.

I could see how Alex was integrating all the artistic epochs that had come before, and in turn, using his mastery of the craft to take the art to a higher level while simultaneously creating works that could spark transformation on an individual and universal level. This all reaffirmed my own goals as a filmmaker and what was possible in the cinematic medium. I held onto that book throughout college and three years later I moved to New York to pursue a career only to discover that Alex and his family were also here. In my last year of film school I heard that Alex was giving a tour of his work at the Tibet House and went to meet him for the first time. The place was packed with all types of people and Alex gave an awesome tour and was extremely humble, signing autographs on his hands and knees for three hours straight for every last person. I introduced myself and asked if I could document his next tour on camera which he so kindly agreed to. Around that time they were beginning of their search to build a permanent home for the paintings and what eventually led to the creation of the current Chapel of Sacred Mirrors in NYC, which can be seen in CoSM The Movie. 

My entire journey on this project has been guided by one synchronistic event after another, making things fall into place at just the right moments when all seems lost- all reaffirmations of the importance of Grey's work and the necessity to bring such themes into the collective consciousness.

Re: Share Your First Encounter With Grey's Art...

Hi All,

Thanks to Nick (a.k.a.”InspiredMind”) for starting this Pod and this particular thread, not to mention for creating a great film!

My first encounter with Alex's work was via an interview with him in the early '90s (I think on PBS, though it might have been elsewhere).  He was discussing the influence of entheogens on his work and I was struck by the intensity of his paintings that are now almost commonplace for me to see as I have much of his work around me.  At that point, I'd been studying Joseph Campbell's work for a couple of years and immediately realized how Alex was stepping fully into the role of the artist as Campbell had outlined in his wonderful quote:

Myth must be kept alive.
The people who can keep it alive
are artists of one kind or another.
The function of the artist
is the mythologization of the environment
and the world.
~Joseph Campbell
read in context

I immediately understood how Alex was dipping into the mystical dimension (what Campbell referred to as the Mythic Dimension) for inspired messages for our human family and was using our current and esoteric/ancient cosmological references to render an image of our spiritual selves that could speak deeply to people living in the modern age.

After some time, I ended up working with the Joseph Campbell Foundation and meeting many of Campbell's old friends and associates, including Stephen and Robin Larsen (his biographers), with whom I developed a fast friendship.  Also friends with Alex and Alison Grey, Stephen later wrote Alex's bio in Transfigurations.

Early this year, I selected Alex's Heart Vajra piece to be tattooed directly over my heart chakra, replicating the placement of the piece in Alex's 22 gestation paintings in his book, Transfigurations.  The description of this piece from Transfigurations, is as follows:

Re: Share Your First Encounter With Grey's Art...

Hello friends!

I found out about Alex's art through the most influential band of our time, Tool.  After casually being a tool listener for a long time, I one day did something I hadn't dove very well before.  I listened.  Not only did I begin to listen, but I began to observe it, and the effect it had on my emotions and my way of thinking.  I listened to the music and and the lyrics without judgement, and in it I found myself. 
I discovered it truly had a great effect on not only my perception of reality, but my views as to what is achievable by a human being.  Finally one day, I decided to not only listen deeper to tool, but watch deeper.  As I watched the video of Parabol/ Parabola with this observing eye, I became completely transfixed by the incredible art throughout the video, and especially the whole ending of the song.  I sat in silence as it was finished, and at that point I knew that it was certainly time to have a deeper look at the visual aspect of this beautiful music, and it's wonderful artist. 

Although I am not and have never been any kind of artist by a professional definition, as I looked though Alex Grey's book, “Transfigurations” for the first time, I immediately felt my inner artist becoming stimulated, excited, and curious.  Since then, I have been inspired more and more to draw, write, paint, explore, create, and manifest.  Now that I have seen much of Alex's work, and have observed myself in realtion, my view now of what is achievable by a human being has changed from great to infinite.  I truly feel to be able to know and further study Alex's work and the message that he sends out to us all, is a beautiful gift that I am very lucky to have recieved. 

Like music, and meditation, I now regularly use Alex's art as a tool for my understanding life and creating more beauty for it.  Through this experience with Tool and Alex's art so far, I have realized that I can use my heart as a tool box for the use of these tools.  When I pull them out and use them, I find myself creating my own inner artist and in return, I begin to fathom infinite enlightenment and love.  It's quite a beautiful and perfect circle.

Thanks again to Nick for starting a pod for all of us “inspired minds” who are working to pry open our collective thrid eye.   

Love and Gratitude,
Kayla

Re: Share Your First Encounter With Grey's Art...

It was 1993 and I had just graduated from college.  My friend who was an art major told me to go see this Alex Grey Sacred Mirrors exhibit.  I went and literally had to sit on the floor with my mouth open in awe.   It was the first time I had come across anyone who could put prana into a visual aid.  You could see it.  Everything, in every form, every emotion.   I have been following his work every since.  I was able to visit the Chapel this past May and was thrilled to see the new work.  Thanks Alex, for following your passion and being the link into the visual world of prana. 

in-Courage
PEACE~LOVE~GRATITUDE
Kalianna

Re: Share Your First Encounter With Grey's Art...

Roderick from Costa Rica posted this on the MySpace Film page @ www.myspace.com/cosmthemovie


I would like to personally say to you for making and exposing Alex Greys work.
My name is Roderick Zuiga and Im from Costa Rica. I lived in Europe for quite a while until I return to my country. Actually now Im a medicine student, very much inspired by Alex Grey, because before I was studying Software Engineer. I came to a point in my life where i felt empty, even though I was at college, with a girlfriend, and a house, and certain comforts. The ideas and concepts that sorrounded my world where towards making money, making myself a slave to a system propagated by the media, by the news, by the television. The greednes that took my inocence, and my right to be free. My head was not mine, but others illusions and demands.

When I was in the process of nervous breakdown, shutting of old concepts, and really doing a tremeandous hardcore insight work, I was introduced to a wonderful technology called Brainwave Stimulation. This lead me to open new ideas i had of human beings, of my friends, of my girlfriend, and of the world itself.

I started more and more interested, in finding the relationship between the realness and fiction. And then one day, I remenbered that I always liked the album art on my Tool albums and the sincere approach to our structure, blending it with spiritual motivation.

One day, I found Alex Grey at Alexgrey.com and it was beautiful. You dont know how much he helped me expand my inner vision of the world and my relationship with myself. That day was beautiful, and I will always remember it. I hope the positive, and evolution behind Cosm vision helps a lot of people by unfolding us to a better, and more meaningful reality.

Rodss