Exploring the Wildflowers’ Movement: A Journey Through Photo Collage

My name is Sandra, and I’m one of the co-leaders of the Wildflowers’ Movement Support Group. It’s a group that enhances creative expression, bringing together individuals seeking freedom of artistic representation. Through the medium of photo collages, I am building a visual journey that mirrors the essence of our support group—a celebration of nature, the vastness of space, and the pursuit of diverse perspectives to redefine our personal journeys. We are located in Los Angeles, but we welcome anyone who needs support from anywhere. Our monthly meetings are online on the second Tuesday of each month at 9 am Pacific.

Natural Sprawl

The choice of public domain images, particularly those of nature and celestial wonders, serves as a symbolic expression of the Wildflowers’ Movement. The juxtaposition of organic elements like plants and animals with the infinite expanse of galaxies captures the sentiment of freedom and the boundless possibilities for personal growth.

A Planet by Any Other Name

Each photo collage is carefully curated with titles that provide context and descriptions, allowing viewers to identify the origins of the images. This deliberate effort mirrors our commitment to exploring perspectives—both close and distant—to enhance our understanding of mental health and wellness.

Hey, Water Bear- Hang in there

Among the images, favorites like Jupiter’s Spot, tardigrades, and bleeding heart flowers hold special significance. These symbols represent cherished places, resilient organisms, and delicate blooms, embodying the diverse experiences within our community. Colors and composition are meticulously chosen to evoke emotions and stimulate thought. Some of the organisms (like jellyfish) were chosen because of their ability to survive in space.

Extremely Loud Softness

The creative process extends to the digital realm, where tools like Photoshop’s “Iris Blur” are employed to refine focal points and manipulate lighting. This technique enhances the visual impact, drawing attention to specific elements and adding depth to the overall composition.

Tracing Our Origins

The collaborative spirit of Wildflowers’ Movement extends beyond meetings, as members actively contribute to the creative process. Ideas and images are sourced from the Adobe Creative Cloud community libraries, as well as other public domain repositories. This collective effort fosters a sense of shared ownership and reinforces the power of peer support.

Website Manners

Our monthly meetings, open to all, provide a platform to share experiences, articles, and peer perspectives on mental health and wellness. Visit our website at wildflowersmovement.com to explore the vibrant tapestry of our collages, learn about upcoming events, and connect with our supportive community.

Foundations of the Peer Support Group

Embedded in our philosophy is the concept of “Radical Wellness,” as coined by our founder, Dr. Denise Maratos. Going to the root of well-being, translated from Greek, ρίζα

“root, radical, tuber” this approach acknowledges the inter-generational nature of our experiences. By promoting mindful peer support and self-awareness, we strive for a holistic understanding of our well-being, nurturing radical wellness from the ground up.

Welcome

The Wildflowers’ Movement, encapsulated through the medium of photo collage, is a testament to the power of creativity, collaboration, and radical wellness. Join us on this visual and emotional exploration, as we continue to redefine our individual journeys within the supportive embrace of a community that values freedom, expression, and the interconnectedness of our shared experiences.

Agapanthus Jupiter

This is an image of a cluster of purple flowers often seen on the streets of Los Angeles, paired with the Planet Jupiter.

The name Agapanthus, also known as an African Lily, is derived from Greek: ἀγάπη, ἄνθος
ἀγάπη (agapē – “love”), ἄνθος (anthos – “flower”).

This species is so hearty and hardy, it can be seen as invasive.

I am a peer advocate with lived experience, a voice hearer, an artist, and the website administrator for Wildflowers’ Movement that sometimes acts as an alternate support group leader. ” Well why not a space flower? Why do we always expect metal ships?”

The actual artwork is also a collaboration as most of my work is created from photoshop collagework from other artists from Pixabay, Adobe Express Creative Cloud Libraries, and public domain photographs of space from NASA. I have also experimented with some Ai images, and while I’m uncertain still of all the ultimate legal ramifications of use of that software, I’m very curious about the tools it gives us access to. I see collaboration as a huge support group effort, which takes a lot of courage, hope and wisdom to share and receive. I hope that these artworks are received well.

Jupiter with a bookmark of a pressed flower and a butterfly on a white leaf

Final version of this image, complete with support group promotion

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Tardigrade floating with a dandelion in the Eagle nebula

Bleeding Hearts in the Horsehead Nebula

Andromeda galaxy with bee junk and pink Cosmos

I’ve enhanced both images with blurs and filters

3 Pink Flower Buds with Galaxy at the end of the World

I was trying to figure out exactly what kind of flower this is, and although it looks a little like a hibiscus, I’m not entirely sure that’s what this is. Similarly, I’m trying to identify the galaxy or nebula this camera was aimed at, but I’m still not sure.

Best guess: roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) foliage,

Artist’s concept of a protoplanetary disk (according to Wikipedia)

Doctor Wh- artichoke, a star is born

Image credits: aasnova.org

Thistle dry leaf amber
in front of
Hubble Space Telescope image of N90, a star-forming region in the Small Magellanic Cloud. [NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration; CC BY 4.0]

Ogata Korin inspired Irises Screen

Pale Irises
solar flares

Bonsai from the Tarantula Nebula

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