Some of you may recognize the artwork above – the artist is Alex Grey. Alex and Alison Grey are both intensely creative and community oriented contemporary artists.
I will admit to you that the first time I saw Alex’s work it didn’t appeal to me. A glossy print of his work was shared with me along with much ooh-ing and ah-ing by the owner of the print. Garish, dramatic, a bit too ‘rainbow-y’, and new-age-y for my tastes, I turned my nose up at it.
Years later a friend and I were traipsing around Manhattan. My friend insisted we visit the gallery of an artist he just loved: Alex Grey. I gagged. And yet, I desired to please my friend so I agreed to go to the gallery.
Upon entering the place my breath was taken away. These paintings are HUGE! Between the size of them and the intensity of the colors… and perhaps the transmission from the artist’s creative heart… I was simply blown away.
I ended up sitting on a cushion (they were skattered all over the gallery) and just stairing in silence at one painting in particular. No words could describe the impact of any of these paintings on me. In their presence I was transported. To where, I can’t say. Wherever those painting sent me… it was too unfamiliar, there were no reference for it but it was “good” and untied all the knots in my body. Stillness and silence were the only genuine responses. I simply could not resist.
Last year I was visiting my parents. Nestled amongst the maple trees in the little town I was born in are many narrow windy country roads. We were driving along – a ‘Sunday Drive’ no matter what day of the week it was – when we passed a strange church in the woods. The church was called Cosm – the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors/Art Church.
Anyone care to make a guess as to who owns Cosm?
Alex and Alison Grey.
Manhattan just didn’t suit them. Wappingers Falls, where I was born and raised, did.
I will completely understand if you don’t like the image above. Strangely enough there is still something in me that doesn’t want to like this artwork. The only trouble with not liking it… is it still impacts me with goodness and peace whenever I am staring at it. I visit Cosm every time I come home. Spent hours there yesterday.
I don’t know what Alex calls the painting above. I do know, or at least sense, that the way we move through the world impacts the world in beautiful ways that go far beyond what our calculating minds could ever comprehend. It is for that reason that I offer this image… my heart values our commitment to serve as listeners, my heart values that the impact of how our ‘walk’ as listeners goes beyond what we could possibly imagine.
I value each step.
For that, all my gratitude,
Avie