A biscuit thrown out to the flow

"What, me worry?"

I'd love to write a real post right now, but I have swaths of other writing I need to do to for school. This includes an 8-page paper comparing the philosophies of St. Thomas Aquinas, Anselm, Spinoza, Hume, and Flew; a 10-page paper on the problems of describing improvisational processes in the field of ethnomusicology', and (gasp!) a 20-page paper on how learning about my own brain has changed my life and my musical endeavours.    Oh, and I almost forgot...the total amount of reading material to plow through before I write these three papers:  over 900 pages in various books, articles, and handouts.

Yikes.

Well, it's official: I'm a nerd. Not convinced? Here's a paper I wrote this work for my art class. It's an old fashioned "book report"; just like in elementary school, yay!!

Sean Frenette
Visual Arts
11/30/04

"On The Mission of Art" by Alex Grey
I discovered Alex Grey and his artwork around the same time that I developed an interest in discovering a genuine approach to integrating spirituality and art.   I had broken from the traditional worldviews and religious beliefs I grown up with at age 14 and embarked on what began as disorganized spiritual quest.   I was exploring different perspectives and vessels with which to sail upon the ocean of reality and found myself confused by the chaotic storm of views swirling around me.   Many elements of the New-Age movement spoke to a lot of the experiences I was having, but I ultimately found myself just as confused and ungrounded as before. The artwork of Alex Grey and the writings of philosopher Ken Wilber have provided me with a few useful tools for putting the spectrum of worldviews into focus and pushing me to craft my artistic role in this mysterious Kosmos we live in.    Reading Alex Grey's The Mission of Art clarified the insights and inspiration I've received from his other writings, interviews, and, of course, his astonishing artwork.

Alex Grey creates art as a way of exploring who and what we are.  He delves deep into the nature of our bodies, studying in a morgue for 5 years, ala Michaelanglo, and exploring the insights gleaned from the knowledge of discovers in quantum physics.   He also explores the nature of mind and of spirit   He then combines these three elements into a vision that depicts a holistic view of a human being. His paintings create a sort of integrated mind/body map that unifies the dualism of some world philosophies. A large part of his work tries to bridge the views of the Western materialist and the Eastern ascetic.

The Mission of Art also serves as a broad overview of art history and of evolution in general. This immensely broad view not only describes the movement of art from the cave dwellers to visionary artists of today, but it integrates the role of human artwork into the scheme of the evolving universe. Using historical, scientific and psycho-sociological evidence, Alex claims that art's role our society and culture is paramount to the evolution of consciousness.

Although The Mission of Art appears to be such an intellectual heavyweight, Alex ends it in the sweetest and simplest way possible: a six page illustrated book written by his six-year-old daughter Zena. Her book is titled: How To Be a Great Artist. Her three axioms complete this fantastic book with a bit of grace. She says, "Be yourself. Do your best. Never give up."

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Seriously, I used the word "psycho-sociological".    When did I become such an academic?

I might need some help here friends.

If you see me on the street I'd prefer it if you'd join me for a dance or a spontaneous outburst creative motion and/or music making.

Thanks!!!