We recently connected with Alan Macy and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Alan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
My parents were focused to community building. My mom (Lillian) was a social worker and my dad (Alfonso) was an architect. My parents were active in the Catholic church to support the initiatives of Vatican II. As a part of this effort, our family was exposed to a range of social injustices and, simultaneously, many examples of thriving, caring, communities.
We often had dinner parties with priests and nuns present, and our family engaged in many social experiments, such as protest marches, feeding the homeless and interacting with the media to shed light on social ills. My parents were artists and demonstrated how communication between people can happen in a myriad of ways.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I was always interested in art, science and technology. My dad, as an architect, built models for his clients, and would sometimes ask me to locate a small dried plants that would resemble trees important for the model. This effort led to an early interest in how nature replicates forms in layers. My mom was a weaver, and her loom was located in our family room. There I learned about the warp and the weft and how they combine to make clothes. The one dimension of the warp is combined with the second dimension of the weft to ultimately create fabric that transforms into three dimensions when worn.
These formative experiences found a center-point in the field of Electrical Engineering. This field of study showed how simple principles can combine to create arbitrary complexity. The study of electricity was a window into physical nature.
I was drawn to the subject of how electricity was related to people, so I jumped at the opportunity to work as an electronics technician for an experimental psychologist a the local state hospital. This early employment was influential in my life. I learned about the small electrical and other physical signals generated by the body and I was introduced to the manner of how these signals were related to behavior.
I started to work in the area of biomedical equipment design and continued my education to ultimately receive a graduate degree with a biomedical focus. My thesis work was on voice recognition.
After graduate school, in 1984, some college friends and I co-founded a biomedical instrumentation company (BIOPAC Systems). I still work at BIOPAC as its R&D Director.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Yes, over the last many years I have become increasingly interested in the manner of communication that occurs between people and the world around.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Society could benefit by supporting the idea that artists can substantially help the health and vibrancy of a community. The freedom of expression, exercised by artists, help create a social environment that’s tolerant of differences and change. Art expression helps to enhance social resilience and adaptability.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alanmacy.com
- Instagram: @alanmacy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alan.macy.3
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-macy-89565512?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/user/alanjmacy
