Alex Atman was born Alex Rinker in San Francisco in 1963, to a well-known civic leader, Professor Alvin Rinker, founder of the San Francisco Switchboard, and Pamela Rinker, a professional jazz singer. Both parents were social activists heavily involved in San Francisco’s 60′s evolution. Atman was raised in the era of the Summer of Love, living in Golden Gate Park, and learning by witnessing the gr
owth of the Free Speech movement, free love, and encouraged at a very early age into creative thought and individuality. Before graduating from Calaveras High school, Atman was actively creating art, logos, and illustrations for graduate publications and private companies. His high school art teacher gave him the dubious award for the most stolen and copied art projects by the student body during high school. Atman embarked on a eight year stint as a lead guide for wild cave exploration-known as spelunking-in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. While employed as a guide he also designed the logo for the company, which sold well over 20,000 t-shirts featuring the logo. Moving on to working as a stone mason in the 80′s, Atman utilized his creativity in building monolithic walls, staircases, fountains and other landscaping sculptures for high end estates. Misfortune struck on April Fool’s day 1986 with a 100 foot fall from Parrots Ferry Bridge, spanning the New Melones Resevoir, while trying to develop the then unknown sport of Bungee Jumping. To the present day, chronic pain helps shape his creative endeavors, sleepless nights give birth to artistic direction-thanks to the chronic discomfort of the injuries. Hand tooling a flat metal surface to reveal an illusion of depth and motion remains the goal of his work. Atman refined his art form working as legal contracted apprentice for Andreas Nottebohm at Black Hole Studios. Andreas’s work is widely accepted thoughout the world as the finest example of metal depth shifting design. Atman’s work over the past 8 years has shown with/alongside leaders in the custom design motorcycle industry. Notable artist and shows areas as follows:
Kurt Taylor of “Custom Design Studios”
The annual Cow Palace “Hot Rod and Chopper Show “San Francisco
Tay Herrera—Premier metal engraver, builder, Los Angeles, “Thy will be done” art show, hosted at “Afflictions Seal Beach location
Stanley Mouse—1960’s iconic art designs at Sebastapol’s “Art in Iron Show”
David Mann—featured artist at the annual Ventura County’s David Mann Chopper Fest
