Perhaps it was the over-exposure to history and politics, or perhaps it was a near-deadly case of encephalitis and meningitis at age 14, but sometime during John’s young life, he began questioning the world around and within him.

When he rejoined the waking world after his two-week coma, the young man had a new, emerging view on life, which included interests in the arts, ecology and states of consciousness. I’m sure his grandmother was thrilled.

Fortunately, when you’re a young, ambitious art-eco-spiritual-wandering type from a well-to-do family, you get to explore these interests in some of the finer ways. For Brevard, this included traveling the world, including trips to Thailand, Malaysia, China, South America and Europe…and that was just to research his master’s thesis on human consciousness. That’s not to say that coming from high-class roots made his adventures some spoiled run-abouts; once you talk with Mr. Brevard, you get the sincere impression that his travels were never about spending family money, and that even without it, the quest would’ve been the same.

What really makes the man my new hero is what he’s done while he’s traveled (meditation retreats, studying with shamanic tribes of Peru, out of body experiences, to name a few) and how he’s so eloquently, artistically and accessibly translated what he’s learned…not to mention his obvious ambition to continue seeking, continue learning, and continue education when it comes to sustainability, ecology, and enlightenment.

John Brevard now resides back in the new art sweetheart of cities, Miami, where he has opened a gallery (featuring his own beautiful series of work) and also works as a design consultant. I recently put a few questions to him, to try and get to the bottom of this curious, busy man:

1) Your work seems to be inextricably connected to your thoughts on human nature and our progression as a species away from a conscious and primal connection with the earth, as well as your own personal journey towards enlightenment and connection…can you elaborate on how exactly these themes manifest themselves in your creative process?

What a great question, thank you. The creative process is always a reflection of the individual’s state of consciousness. In my design and artwork, I create pieces in a one of a kind series. At this point there is a black and white (2001), a bronze (2005), and a Petrified wood series (2007). Each of these series has directly corresponded to the state of consciousness I was experiencing at that period of time. As I continue to change and experience transpersonal progression, the art and design work will, grow, change, and develop.

Who knows what it will look like in 1, 5 or 10 years. These days, the collective energy is shifting planetary consciousness so rapidly that I expect that we will be seeing a major shift in human perception. Additionally, the digitalization, minimization, and virtualization of modern technology is suggesting the liberation of our minds from materialism (especially as a form of self enhancement). At many levels, there is a lessoning of dualism as we are all becoming more and more connected in so many ways.

2) You come with a political pedigree; what do you think made you shift away from pursuing that part of your upbringing in favor of design, ecology and adventures in consciousness?

Well, politics were MUCH different back than. My grandfather followed his passion and did the best he could to serve people with the courage to stand up for what he believed was right (civil rights) no matter what the consequences were (loosing a senate race because people held up photos of him marching at Selma next to MLK.) These days, we are dealing with similar shifts and changes, from gay rights, and now to the overthrow of Newtonian physics. Everything is changing so rapidly and humanity is becoming more aware of other states and dimensions of consciousness. It is my passion to bring art and design into this world that commutates this new consciousness conceptually and energetically. Conceptually, the work is about merging the new consciousness with industry and world culture.

3) Without meaning to generalize, politically minded people tend to not be too into all of these things that you’ve made your life’s focus. How does your family feel about the path you’ve chosen?

To be honest, many of my family members have no idea what I am doing. However, my father and mother are both proud of what I have accomplished to this point.

4) With so many avenues for the furthering of the ideals and theories you hold (literature, social advocacy, physical and mental wellness, education, etc.), how do you think your art and designs works support your ideological goals? In other words, do you think that works of art, on their own, are sufficient to furthering someone’s understanding of ecology, consciousness and human nature, or does it require explanation and additional education?

Yes, I do think that art can be very transformative. All art carries an energy pattern that people can feel when they interact with it. Some art evokes a sexual energy, sadness, empathy, or any other emotion. Additionally, many artists illustrate altered states of consciousness through art or successfully bring awareness to an ecological issue through their work.

These sculptures are really discussion pieces. I would imagine that they would spark interest in the observer and conversations about the material and concept would most likely occur. Additionally, I think that my clients experience the sculptures energy and it does have a subtle effect on them.

5) Tell us about your gallery: how long has it been open, what made you decide to open a gallery, what are your goals with the space and its future exhibitions, etc?

To be honest, I never really had an idea or planned to open a gallery, it just happened organically. However, in 2002 when I was studying with shaman in Peru, the message came to me to become an artist.

The gallery has been open for 6 months. However, we spent the first 5 getting the space renovated and the pieces completed. After the opening, my goal is to bring in the next series along with some additional design products. I would also like to open a space in NYC and LA within the next couple of years.

6) What about for yourself personally? Between school, traveling, your architecture and design work in Miami, and now your gallery, are there things you’ve yet to tackle that are on your to-do list?

Yes, I am very passionate about these next couple of series that are under development including a jewelry line. Additionally, I am also very interested in working with more interior designers and architects to create larger scale work.

7) You seem to have lead a well-traveled, diverse life thus far…give us something juicy. What’s one particularly interesting or influential event or person you’ve encountered?

The most influential event that I have experienced in my life was drinking Ayahuasca in Peru with the Shipibo tribe.

This tribe and the Shaman (Pablo Amaringo) seemed to perceive the world from a state of consciousness where there is a lack of perceived dualism. This state of awareness is characterized by a sense of unity and cohesion with the planet, universe, and other dimensions. These people connect to the earth and nature in such a way that there is no separation between themselves and the earth. On the other hand, in our western culture, most of us perceive dualism and see ourselves as separate from the earth and one another. Dualism is always the cause of conflict both on a macro scale and a micro scale. This being said, when one drinks the ayahuasca with the Shaman, there is a loss of perceived separation. Essentially, you become one with the earth, the universe, and all dimensions of awareness. Although it is a very challenging experience, it is liberating to experience oneself beyond the physical form and realm. Its actually quite funny that Avatar has become such an acclaimed film because its concept is exactly aligned with the experience of Ayahuasca and what is going on with the indigenous tribes in Peru as we destroy the Amazon jungle.

Your Petrified Wood Series is amazing and the message it aims to communicate is an important one. Can you elaborate on it for our readers and illustrate how design can play a role in preserving our environment?

Thank you. Design plays an amazing role in preserving the environment simply because when one creates art or design, they use the intuitive mental faculties which allow them to remove themselves from the thinking mind. Not only is the act of designing or creating art a form of therapy, they also bring joy, story, and beauty into peoples life. These are all positive and beautiful feelings and emotions that enhance the well being of the collective. Additionally, design oriented people are the ones coming up with many creative solutions to the ecological challenges that we are currently experiencing.

This pursuit has also been about surrounding people with powerful fractal organic artifacts that are created with an inspiration from sacred geometries and ecology. When one experiences the material and contemplates the vastness of the materials age, the mind goes silent. This state of consciousness is where sustainable consciousness lies. I also want to note that we are very conscientious about the extraction process of this material. We use skilled excavators to extract the pieces from areas where the plant life will not be disrupted. Additionally, this material does not provide any nutrients to the soil. This procedure is executed with the utmost care.

9) From your services page on your website we learned that you provide rare pieces to enhance energy of a home. When you walk into a home, what do you look for to channel the energy into that piece?

Generally, clients feel drawn toward pieces that they resonate with. However, when pieces are commissioned, I just do what feels right for the person and the space. Its mostly an intuitive process.