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Allyson Grey
Photo by Jon Hanna, 2008
Allyson Grey
Photo by Shelburne Thurber, 1980
Erowid Character Vaults
Allyson Rymland Grey
Mar 12, 2010 - Alex and Allyson in a severe car accident, expected to fully recover. See their Blog for more details.
Summary
Allyson Grey is a well-known psychedelic artist. In 1975 at a party, she met her future husband, the artist Alex Grey. A year later, while on LSD together, Allyson and Alex simultaneously shared a vision of an infinite omni-directional love energy that comprised the foundational scaffolding of the universe. Experiencing themselves as part of this "oneness of God" caused the illusionary veil of the material world to drop away, inspiring them both to focus on the theme of transcendental spirituality in their art. Allyson completed several pieces of art depicting this shared vision as the subject, using embroidery and painting, sometimes creating mandala shapes by repeating the image of a tiny hand with a pointing finger. Eventually she started working with compositions built from many squares, painting her best-known depiction of their shared vision in 1988: Jewel Net of Indra. (Alex depicted their shared vision in his 1981 painting Universal Mind Lattice.) Employing a full spectrum of colors, Allyson continued using squares in the construction of her art, "building walls and breaking them down". The balance of order and chaos depicted in Allyson's art eventually became mediated through a third element, her "secret writing". This writing--an alphabet of 20 letters representing the perennial divinity that all religious texts point toward--acts as a window that allows communication between order (spirit) and chaos (matter).

As well as being artists, the Greys have dedicated their lives to creating sacred space. After a few successful years in New York City with their Chapel of Sacred Mirrors--their non-profit organization dedicated to the idea that art can assist in the positive transformation of individuals and societies--they purchased land to expand onto in upstate New York, where they teach art courses and sponsor gatherings. [Read full biography]

Author of (Books)
  • CoSM: Chapel of Sacred Mirrors, with co-author Alex Grey (2007)
  • Author of (Articles)
  • "The Life and Art of Alex & Allyson Grey" with co-author Alex Grey, Tantra: The Magazine 3: 27-38,60 (1992).
  • Editor of (Books/Journals)
  • CoSM: Journal of Visionary Culture, with co-editor Alex (2004 - present).
  • Damanhur: Temples of Humankind by Esperide Ananas, featuring a foreword by Alex Grey, edited by Allyson and Alex Grey, published by CoSM Press (2006).
  • Contributed to (Books)
  • True Visions, edited by Massimiliano Geraci and Federica Timeto, featuring art by and an article by Allyson Grey (2006).
  • Zig Zag Zen: Buddhism and Psychedelics, edited by Allan Hunt Badiner and Alex Grey, featuring art by Allyson Grey (2002).
  • Transfigurations by Alex Grey, featuring art by Allyson Grey (2001)
  • Sacred Mirrors: The Visionary Art of Alex Grey, featuring art by Allyson Grey (1990)
  • Articles (About)
  • "Review of White Columns Show" by Ellen Hardy, Arts Magazine (November 1987).
  • "Review of Show at O.K. Harris Gallery" by Marc Furstenberg, Downtown Magazine (May 6, 1987).
  • "High Art: Allyson Grey" by Carlo McCormick, High Times (April 1987).
  • "The Invisible Scene" by Barry Schwabsky, New York/Berlin Magazine 2 (1986).
  • "Review of Show at Merrimack College" by Brian Kologe, Art New England (June 1983).
  • "Kaleidoscopic Grey" by Eileen Roche, Sojourner (April 1983).
  • "Review of Show at Stux Gallery" by Christine Temin, The Boston Globe (March 3, 1983).
  • "New England Women Painters" by Robert Taylor, The Boston Globe (April 23, 1982).
  • "Gallery Go Round" by Charles Giuliano, The Boston Ledger (June 26, 1981).
  • "Scouting for Talent" by Kenneth Baker, The Boston Pheonix (June 23, 1981).
  • "Artweek Visiting" by Sarah Wright, The Real Paper (October 1980).