Melissa Blythe Knowles
PHOTOGRAPHY
In the words of Henri Cartier-Bresson, David "Chim" Seymour's camera was like a doctor's stethoscope, diagnosing the state of the heart. Photography, for me, is a form of creative medicine that cultivates an intelligent heart and enriches our vision of the world by revealing what was always present yet not always visible. Reverend Ben McBride, the radical belonging activist and author, said: "People aren't seen just because they are in a particular physical space; something must happen, collectively, for people to be seen." The camera can be this 'something' pointing us towards unusual beauty and relations that help us become awake to the sense that our life is deeply woven into the lives of others and the life of nature. In this process, the camera can be a teacher, guiding the photographer in the slow art of observation, quiet conversation and being of service to healing and change.
I am Melissa Blythe Knowles, a photographer, designer, and teaching artist with a special interest in the therapeutic use of the expressive arts. My journey was profoundly shaped by my mentorship with the late John Diamond, M.D., a pioneer in holistic healing and creativity, and my early interests in art and design, art history, aesthetic philosophy, art-in-health, visual anthropology, music, and education. Dr. Diamond once said, "Imagine yourself: a photographer takes an interest in you, photographs you, relates to you, and you to them. Photographs can be made with a healing intention, used to change people so that neither the photographer nor the person being photographed is the same again."
So much depends on how we see things. As the Irish poet and philosopher John O’Donohue once said, "More often than not, the style of gaze determines what we see." There are many things near us that we never notice simply because of how we see. The way we look at things has a huge influence on what becomes visible to us. If one becomes stuck in a certain narrow, predictable, or habitual way of seeing, the outside light cannot bring color into one’s life. Each of us is responsible for how we see, and how we see determines what we see.
Originally from England, I moved to Martha's Vineyard in 2017, and made a home with my partner, Geordie Gude—a harmonica player whose melodies and rhythms weaved their way into my life—and our spirited Australian Shepherd, Scout.
Work...
Portrait Photography
As a portrait photographer, my deep passion lies in photographing families, sensitively and beautifully reflecting those fleeting moments in your lives. I offer family, engagement, and small wedding packages, along with cost-sensitive options for locals, and with a background in arts and health, I partner with non-profits to bring portraiture into the lives of families facing health challenges.
During our sessions, I will gently guide you through natural and relaxed poses, meeting you where you are and creating an atmosphere that allows authentic connections and emotions to flourish. I sincerely hope you leave our session feeling more connected to those you hold dear and to provide lasting memories that deepen your connection long after our time together.
Visual Storytelling
"Storytellers are the custodians of human history, the recorders of the human experience, the voice of the human soul."
As a visual storyteller, I keep my eyes open to, not to simply record or replicate an event exactly, but to find the core of the experience and give form to those moments of the human experience.
My projects with local media, non-profits, magazines, and cause-driven efforts include arts for healing, ending child labor, documenting human rights marches, ensuring food equity and housing security, and championing conservation, creativity, and education.
Nature Photography
To me, nature is the first art and has inspired and guided humans from the beginning. During my time as curator at the Aquinnah Cultural Center, I had the profound honor of bringing Robin Kimmerer—an Indigenous writer and scientist deeply committed to restoring ecological communities and rekindling our connection to the land—to the island. In a copy of her book Braiding Sweetgrass, she inscribed a message that invited me into a new relationship with the world: “May plants be your teacher.” As an educator and someone who tries to look closely at the world, the most humbling truth is that we are always learning and re-learning. Photography helps me remember these lessons, and over time, I began to realize that nature has an endless amount to teach us if we pay attention.
Photography for Healthcare
Inspired by the teachings of my late mentor, Dr. John Diamond, M.D.—a pioneer in holistic health, creativity, and a talented photographer—I am passionate about incorporating photography into healing environments. I explore how the photo-making process can not only document wellness initiatives but also facilitate the journey toward healing. With fifteen years of experience as an arts-in-health practitioner, I offer portrait and visual storytelling services that reflect this integration of art and well-being.
Healing Art for Hospitals & Hospice
During my partner’s illness, I'd bring nature photos into Dana Farber with us, reminders of beauty and the natural rhythms of life. I started sharing them with our care team, and they became expressions of gratitude that sometimes there were little words for. Each hospital visit, we'd choose a treatment room with a large window, where we could see this one tree - it's so clear in my mind still. When Geordie entered hospice, we'd walk to the cliffs that our home sits atop of. The last time we did this, him holding my waist tightly, a red tail hawk flew across our path. "You're ready to take to wing," I said. When he was too weak to walk to the cliffs, he opened our bedroom door which led to the garden, and he'd take his shoes off to stand barefoot in the grass, and say, "I belong to the earth." These were among his last few days, but he was always a man who belonged to the earth. There's a line in a song, "I've been tamed by the wind and the rain," and that was always Geordie.
In our bedroom, I placed every nature photo I'd printed around us - bringing the outside inside - recreating what I imagine the Paleolithic caves were - a healing sanctuary created through artwork reminding us of where we come from and where we're returning to. If you or someone you love are ill or are in hospice and would like to bring the outside inside through a curated selection of small fine art prints, please reach out.
Creative Health
Creative Health is a service that enhances the healthcare environment by integrating music and art that calms, nurtures, and inspires wellbeing for patients, caregivers, and healthcare staff. By visiting the bedside of patients to sing, read, or paint a picture and utilizing available public spaces, including waiting rooms, for visual art installations or workshops. Drawing from a rich history of arts in healing, Creative Health enhances the atmosphere of hospitals, clinics, and care facilities, fostering a more uplifting and supportive experience for all.
Exhibits
Photography is the kind of creative medicine that I am passionate about bringing into community, educational, and healthcare settings through exhibits. Whether online or in person, each carefully curated piece, from those that encourage meditation and contemplation to those that deliver messages of fairness, human connection, and healing, is designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and imagination.
I am currently working on We Live in the Sky, which invites viewers to explore the multifaceted and delicate relationship between humans and the sky.
Handmade Artist Books & Fine Art Prints
Coming Soon!
