Location: United States
An architect with his own practice for over 45 years, Alan is also a practioner of yoga philosophy and meditation.
His art work combines both passions by creating structured and layered digital collages which express the hidden meanings of worldly and spiritual phenomenon.
Alan's artwork is created with digital photos combined, enhanced, and transformed using Photoshop Elements, Photoshop Express, Akvis Oil Paint, Canva, Photopea, MyPaint, and Remove.bg software.
Education: Columbia College; Columbia University School of Architecture (B.Arch. '65); Harvard Graduate School of Design (M.Arch. '66).
Here is Alan's description of his artistic process:
"These are all digital images using a variety of software to modify photographs and layer images and then transform them in various ways. I begin with figurative images, then transform them into more abstract images, and then combine the figurative and abstract. The process starts as a mental concept, then becomes an immersive experience where I exercise an intuitive part of myself that is usually hidden."
SEE A VIDEO OF THE ART WORK HERE:
https://youtu.be/no9N9xGPj7c
SEE HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGES HERE:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MGY3wObfIBChrhqArlw8Cw7ml72n_r6c?usp=sharing
SEND INQUIRIES TO:
spector.alan@gmail.com
"In my artwork I seek to communicate spiritual experiences which may result from practicing meditation.
During meditation I make repeated gentle efforts to rein in a scattered mind and bring it to a point of concentration on a sacred sound (mantra) or sacred image (yantra or mandala). The mantra or yantra is brought to a particular place within the body– usually a chakra such as the navel center, the heart center, the center of the head, or above. As my mind settles down it may become immersed in the chosen object
My artwork strives to depict the essence of a chakra, yantra, or mantra and the experience of glimpsing that which lies beyond subjective awareness. Then I may clearly see the distinction between my limited individual consciousness and the expansive universal consciousness. My own spiritual experiences may be stained by personal memories so their artistic expression is still subjective and can only impart a partial view of reality. Real and intense spiritual experiences are totally unexpected, astounding, and indescribable in words, form and color."
Expressing the Interplay and merging of two symbolic swans (Hamsa in sanskrit) representing the individual consciousness and universal consciousness which float in the lake of mind. The two swans also represent the two aspects of breath (passive and active). When the seeker merges them at the center of his head he may enter into a wondrously peaceful state of mind.
Traveling to sacred sites and experiencing their vibrations is external pilgrimage. By internalizing those impressions our subtle inner life is greatly enriched.
In yogic meditation practitioners use mantras and yantras, and eventually may have direct inner experiences of the subtle fire and light within.
Ritualistic bathing to cleanse oneself of impurities is common to many traditions. But the more subtle inner bath involves immersion of the individual mind in universal consciousness.
The mystery of twilight (Sandhya in sanskrit) lies in the subtle spiritual transition between experiencing the ordinary world and the Higher Reality.
To express the pure emotive essence of the original more figurative images, these transformations were created using a variety of filters.
In Yoga philosphy the Lotus represents radiant beauty emerging from a living entity which is anchored in the mud.
Though rooted in the mud, the Lotus and the Waterlilly rise up to the light and are non-attached to their murky roots.
To convey complex ideas, images are assembled in a linear manner to create "Panoramas" or longer "Cycloramas". For a more immersive experience of my artworks, printed images are mounted on semi-circular frames for a "panorama" and on fully circular frames for a "cyclorama". To view the complete "panorama" artworks you must walk from side to side of the mounted images. Some "cycloramas" are mounted on a turntable so the artworks move and reveal themselves to the viewer slowly.
Sadhana in sanskrit means the spiritural practices that provide inner experiences which lead the seeker towards the Highest Reality.
Freedom from the mind's binding powers is the goal of spiritual practice. To attain this freedom the seeker should "burn" his karma in the "fire" of knowledge and perform his actions selflessly for the benefit of others.
This cyclorama is mounted on a rotating turntable so the viewer only sees part of the image at one time.
Four still views are shown here. To see a video of the rotating cyclorama click on the link to "High Resolution Images" next to my profile photo.
Globes floating in space represent the range of experience existing in the universe.
There is a Sacred Grove of trees in India where the forces of Wisdom reside. While being quiet and looking inward the seeker may be nurtured by the power of that Sacred Grove.
Climate chaos is clearly harming our entire planet and all living beings.
But RENEWABLE energy solutions have been available for many years and must now be implemented quickly and at vast scale.
This series of artwork intends to dramatize our dire climate conditions and the RENEWABLE solutions which we must embrace right now.
Inner spiritual experiences may include a sense of "blossoming" at the heart or crown centers. These expansive experiences are visually described as abstract flowers blossoming.
Prana is the intelligent life force which infuses all living beings in the universe.
In yoga texts it is explained that Prana divides itself into 5 parts to function within each being.
These are Prana (upward moving force), Apana (downward moving force), Samana (sideways moving force), Vyana (outward moving force), and Udana (concentrated upward force).
Each eye sees its environment in its own particular way.
The Universal Eye sees all and everything.
The man-made world offers both peaks and valleys of experience.
“Two swans in golden lake”
“Two swans, sun & moon”
“Two Swans and Lotus”
“Merging Swans”
“Two Swans & Lotus - O1”
“Two Swans & Lotus - E1”
“Swan Light”
“Merging Swans ENH”
“Rising Mist”
“Mountain Mist”
“Mountain heights”
“Sages and Lake”
“Inner Balance”
“Pilgrimage & Sages”
“Pilgrimage O1”
“Ardha - E1”
“Pilgrimage & Sages ENH”
“Spirit of India”
“Sultry Tunisia”
“Dynamic Fire”
“Steady Flame”
“Fire Transformation”
“Fire & Light ”
“Radiant Fire & Light”
“Fire & Light - 02”
“Chandram (Spiritual Moon)”
“Chandram (Spiritual Moon) 02”
“Spiritual Moon - B”
“Chandram (Spiritual Moon) 03”
“Chandram ENH”
“Chandram C ENH”
“Bathing”
“Cleansing”
“Cleansing Transformation 2”
“Inner Bath”
“Purification Bath ENH”
“Lion & Lamb”
“Two Birds”
“Blue Twilight”
“Blue Twilight 2”
“Red Twilight Transformation 2”
“Twilight & Swan”
“Sandhya O2”
“Sandhya O3”
“First Light”
“Twilight - 2”
“Fire Transformation”
“Pilgrimage Transformation 2”
“Bathing Transformation 2”
“Swans Transformation 2”
“Blue Twilight 2”
“Gold Twilight 2”
“Red Twilight Transformation 2”
“Inner Bath”
“Pilgrimage & Sages”
“Twilight & Swan”
“Merging Swans”
“Pink Waterlilly”
“White Waterlilly”
“Red Glowing Lotus”
“White Glowing Lotus”
“LOTUS QUARTET”
“White Lotus O1”
“Red Lotus O1”
“Pink Waterlilly O1”
“White Waterlilly O1”
“Lotuses”
“Sadhana Cyclorama”
“Freedom Cyclorama”
“Two Swans Panorama”
“Purification Panorama”
“Two Swans Embracing - 1”
“Two Swans Embracing - 2”
“Purification Bath - 1”
“Purification Bath - 2”
“Sadhana-Kinetic-1”
“Sadhana-Kinetic-2”
“Sadhana-Kinetic-3”
“Sadhana-Kinetic-4”
“Sadhana - E2”
“Sadhana - E1”
“Sacred Grove Panorama”
“Renewables”
“Five Pranas”
“Seeing”
“Merging Swans Globe”
“Purification Bath Globe”
“Floating Swans Globe”
“Freedom Globe”
“Pilgrimage”
“Sacred Grove”
“Chandram (Spiritual Moon) 01”
“Spiritual Moon - C”
“Sacred Grove Panorama”
“Roots in Heaven”
“At the Sacred Grove”
“WATER Solutions”
“FIRE Solutions”
“EARTH Solutions”
“WATER Globe”
“FIRE Globe”
“EARTH Globe”
“Renewables Panorama”
“Transition”
“Renewal”
“Blossoming Lotus”
“Blossoming Rose”
“Blossoming Above & Below”
“Lotus Blossoming”
“Five Pranas”
“Vyana”
“Udana”
“Prana”
“Samana”
“Apana”
“Seeing ”
“Brown Eye ”
“Blue Eye”
“Amber Eye”
“Green Eye”
“Rising Mist”
“Misty Morning”
“Transcendence”
“Harmony”
“Peace Building”
“Spiraling Guggenheim”
