Holly Wilmeth: Sacred Nature | MONOVISIONS - Black & White Photography Magazine

MonoVisions Black & White Photo Contest 2024

This project portrays the deep connection between the nature surrounding us and our human nature. The images serve as an invitation to awaken to a place of sacred sanctuary. The harmony of the natural world is available to us in our own backyard through the powerful healing energy of traditional plant wisdom.

I didn’t go out of my way to discover or come across any of the plants, trees, and flowers in this project. On the contrary, all of them are very common and can be found in our gardens, on walks, on the side of roads, in empty lots. I began photographing in the Mexican desert and then in tropical climates and then moved to more forested northern climates. It’s a project that I’ve photographed for a year and a half in the places I visited almost like a simple seasoning cabinet. My hope is that the images can serve as a reminder that the magic and meaning of our lives can be found in the smallest of things: the sacred dance of nature.

The project was birthed out of a curiosity and desire to teach my son about the plant life he was seeing all around him, and from his curiosity came a gift for me to share with others.

Holly Wilmeth was born and raised in Guatemala by American parents. The daughter of a farmer and teacher, she spent half her time in the city and the rest of her time in the dense jungles and agricultural landscapes of Guatemala. This is where her journey in photography began, documenting the culture both in the streets as well as people’s relation to their land.

Her passion for ethnic cultures has taken her to over 60 countries, from the remote corners of East Asia to the far north of Mongolia, where she experienced living with nomad families in the Tibetan mountains and the Saharan desert.

Holly Wilmeth creates images that embody elements of nature, mysticism, and spirituality. Drawing inspiration from ancient mythologies, symbolism, diverse cultures and a deep spiritual practice, Holly’s images are a personal interpretation of her life’s sacred dance.

Both wisdom and wonder speak through her images, as they reveal a simple visual journey of the alchemy of being human and being part of this earth. She is passionate about nature, intentional living, creating beautiful spaces and designing gardens that are like sanctuaries. She presently resides in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, with her husband and son and their dog Pistola.

She has worked for a wide range of clients, in advertising as well as editorial. Her work has been published in international publications such as Time, Newsweek, AFAR, GEO Magazine, Travel & Leisure, National Geographic Adventure, CARE International, Christian Science Monitor, USAID to name a few. She has taught workshops all over the world and teaches in San Miguel de Allende with the Santa Fe Workshops.

‘Sacred Nature’ was the Black & White Fine Art Series of the Year 1st place Winner in the MonoVisions Photography Awards 2020.