SPRINGVILLE, Utah -- Alex Bigney obviously believes in thinking outside the box. His eyeglass frames are two different colors, one light, one dark -- meeting in the middle.
Add that to the fact that he's an accomplished painter, musician and now the author of an unusual new book, and the results shout creativity.

"We love Alex, his creativity, his desire to share. Tonight we celebrate creative curiosity," said music director and friend Gael Shults as she marshalled a choir of children at a recent book launch event for Bigney.

Bigney, an art professor at Utah Valley University in Orem and a gospel doctrine teacher in the Woodland Hills Utah ward, has written and released "Talking to Tesla, The Mirror That is The Door," a novel based on dream conversations with the scientist and artist Nikola Tesla, best known for inventing the radio.



He read from the book at the launch event March 18 at the Springville Museum of Art where his sons -- known as the musical trio "Kirkmount" -- played lively Celtic-style music.

The book is the result of years of reflection and insight based on a series of uncanny dreams, experiences Bigney said profoundly impacted his art and changed his life.
Bigney said the book started as a journal and is the catalyst behind a project that he hopes will encourage preserving natural creativity in schoolchildren. The project will include discussion and a blog site.

The book's cover artist, painter Kent Wing, talked about his own inspiration behind creating the painting "Identity." "This book has had a profound influence in my life as well," Wing said.

Bigney said Nikola Tesla invented a lot of things for which he doesn't get popular credit. "His eccentricity as a scientist makes him the perfect interface with an artist, and needless to say I have learned a lot about him by writing the book," said Bigney.

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