Both serene and passionate at once,
Michael Divine’s images speak with a
universal language of beauty that anyone can understand and relate to.
Using his visions and experiences as his subject matter, his work
explores the inner map of the psyche and the heart. He translates what
he finds into breathtaking imagery illustrating the journey of growth
and transcendence from the inescapable phenomenon of human conditioning.
Michael’s work follows in a long tradition of artists who base their
work on their interpretive visions. From Wassily Kandinsky’s intuitive
balance of line and color to the bold movement of Umberto Boccioni to
the psychologically informed landscapes of Salvador Dali, the elements
of the past inform Michael’s art. Introducing a very present spiritual
component to this exploration of the artistic vision, Michael’s work
adds another chapter to the continuing artistic lineage.
Born in Connecticut in 1976, Michael studied religion and writing at
Syracuse University in New York, where he first grew to appreciate
Eastern philosophy and mysticism. Since then, he has spent much of his
adult life creating, traveling, and honing his artistic skills and his
personal growth. He considers life an ever-evolving dance of healthier
living and coexistence with nature.
Michael draws inspiration from a wide variety of sources. He continues
to explore philosophies and practices that have inspired him, such as
dance, Buddhism, Yoga, and various forms of meditation. Michael
currently lives in Costa Mesa, CA with his wife Violet and their myriad
pets. Michael and Violet changed their last name to “Divine” upon their
marriage in 2008. They intend it to be symbolic of that which they wish
to see and create in the world.
The first half of the workshop will be a well-illustrated presentation delving into the lineage of contemporary visionary art and how it is directly related to the birth of Modern Art from the late 1800's onwards, tying it in with developments in psychology and spirituality. With the invention of the camera in the mid-1800's artists were freed from painting reproductions of reality and were able to turn the eye inwards, focusing it on something deeper, allowing the imagination to explore the inner worlds.
This inwards gaze and the development of Modern Art happened in tandem with Freudian and Jungian developments in psychology, the introduction and dissemination of Buddhist texts into the Western lexicon, and the results of other global explorations through South America and the East. Early methods and results may seem, at times, simpler in scope than what we see today but, by now, we've had a lot more practice with that imaginative inner eye.
The second half of the presentation will be a hands-on experiential workshop allowing people to explore their own imaginations and utilizing the inner eye and personal momentum to guide them in their own creative processes.
