We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Philomena Melton a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Philomena , thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
Constantly learning! I feel my creativity is at an all time high when I am in the midst of learning a new skill or learning a new bit of magic about our beautiful world . Being immersed in nature all the time keeps my mind teaming with creative ideas . It’s hard not to be inspired when you are staring a big eyed fluffy moth with magical fairy-esq wings in the face , or watching the complete metamorphosis of the most incredibly iridescent butterflies! Insects are truly an otherworldly beauty ! I feel immense gratitude to be able to watch these beautiful creatures and to be consistently learning from and being inspired by them !
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
My story is one that I think many people can relate to , despite how unique it may be . I was actually born with a birth defect that caused me to need several reconstructive surgeries to my feet and ankles throughout my childhood and early adulthood. The first being done when I was only 9 months old , 17 in total . So to make a very long story short, by the age of 15 I was sadly already severely addicted to the pain medication I had been being given ,essentially since birth.
After stealing my spirit for almost a decade and then many failed attempts I had made to try and regain my sobriety. I became a mother to two of the most precious souls . After this I knew I had to really change . I am profoundly grateful to say that I was able to get clean and have been in recovery since October of 2014 !
After getting sober it became important to me to get back in touch with the person I was before I lost myself through addiction. I began to get back into all the things that made me excited as a kid. The first of which being Nature ! I was incredibly inspired and moved by nature’s beauty as a kid . Every single lizard , insect , bird and rock felt magical to me ! I was really into art as well and always had a bedroom room full of reptile enclosures ,other unique pets and art supplies everywhere . I then let that deeply rooted spark of curiosity and love for nature lead me back to something that has truly always fascinated me to no end , BUGS !
I began growing a butterfly garden with my daughters and started off with raising and releasing monarchs each year , then the insatiable desire to know more about these breathtaking creatures led me to becoming active on any social media groups I could find on entomology . Specifically leaning towards Lepidoptera as I have always been so entranced by the otherworldly light refraction and iridescence of butterflies and moths ! I started to focus all my free time into researching all that I could about how to breed moths and began to have my friends and family help me with finding larvae on host plants so we could bring them home and witness their entire metamorphosis.
My husband has been gardening since he was an early teen and together we have grown multiple pollinator gardens and have now been breeding a variety of butterfly species as well as many species of silk moths and hawk moths .
After becoming so inspired by these beautiful creatures again , I started to also get back in touch with the second most exciting thing to me as a kid which was art ! I started painting and drawing all over everything I own again, just as I did as a kid . It just looked a little neater now.
I then ,as a mother, began to realize how detached we are from nature as a society . I wanted to help others see the magic that is actually happening outside and all around us everyday, the magic that we all so sadly are actively assisting in the destruction of.
I also watched these beautiful creatures as they naturally pass after only a week or so , being reminded of the fact that we are maybe so far detached from nature because we as a society are trying to ignore the uncomfortable but inevitable fact that just like every living biological organism in nature , we too are going to die .
I decided to try and combine all of these things I was working on , learning about and thinking about . I realized that all of these tattered but still beautiful moths could be turned into art that could help people not only be reminded of the magic of nature and why we should protect it , but also help us see the incredible dichotomy between life and death. That maybe art and creative expression is my purpose and that when in combination with my deep appreciation for the natural world , I really can create things that actually help people feel more connected to nature!
So @Nocturnaflora was born ! I create content on Facebook, Instagram and tiktok (potentially expanding to YouTube) and I show how to grow many different pollination plants, how to raise butterflies with the kiddos, how to breed moths to help with conservation, and where I also create pieces of art that I believe are helping to bridge the gap ,in the social narrative, between life and death .
I work with lots of dead insects , bones , full animal skeletons, mummified animal remains, fossils, crystals ,dried flowers, dried mushrooms, mosses , lichens and many other natural elements . I create insect taxidermy shadowboxes, glass cloche/dome pieces , wall hangings, up cycled thrifted items ,as well as nature encapsulated resin jewelry and home decor items! All containing real preserved natural elements with a dark fantasy aesthetic. I also vend at the Ocala oddities market each month and sell items in their store. I have also just started applying to vend at other events like renaissance fairs and art walks. My website is currently being built and will hopefully be launching soon!
I also am looking into finding ways to get kids more involved with the insects .I believe one of the most important things we can do to help protect this earth is to help the future generations see how precious and magical the natural world is and how desperately it needs protection. I dream to one day soon start using my knowledge of insects and plants to give demonstrations at schools or host community events where kids can get a hands on or in person experience with these beautiful insects and get to witness the true magic of their metamorphosis . We can teach them ways they can begin to truly make a difference now !
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Some of the most impactful things I’ve learned along my journey include, first realizing that there is space online and in this world for any and all creatives ! I sometimes question if I should even create art or if I should even be considered an “artist” when it sometimes feels like there are so many other artists now who are creating similar work or who are so much more talented , or because the opposite and it feels like my work is too “odd” or “creepy”for a big following.
But I have really started to see that none of this is true . The truth is that when I allowed myself to stop comparing my work to others and instead allow myself to be inspired by people who I feel are more talented , I am able to see the even deeper meaning of being a creative and that is the connections made between myself and all the people who I have been inspired by , and who have been inspired me .
Another impactful lesson for me was that when I let go of the idea of perfection, my mind is able to tap into flow and I am able to truly enjoy the process of creating again . Only when I strive for perfection do I fall into times of art block . Perfection is relative and merely an abstraction . It doesn’t really exist. To really understand this, means we are fully liberated from the confines of its false limitations ! It enables us as creatives to reinvent our style as often as we please , to find tons of worthy content in the form of “fails” and lets us gain access to the infinite lessons that come through the portal of “failure”. Many of the greatest pieces of art in human history are the result of a failed attempt at something else !
But I think the most impactful thing I’ve learned is that people love to see others that they can relate to ! I am starting to realize that the parts of my past that I thought I should hide on social media because of fear of being judged , are the parts of me that people need to see the most . The purpose of being creative, in my opinion, is to connect with other like minded individuals and to create communities where we can all feel valued and appreciated.
There is someone in this world that will see your light , no matter how dark your past may be .
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I am looking to collaborate with schools, other organizations as well as community leaders and event planners, to provide events or demonstrations where students can get involved in the conservation of native pollinator species. I have thought of many educational activities . I would be interested in sharing these with, as well as hearing any other suggestions from anyone in the position to collaborate. You can email me at [email protected] or you can reach me on Facebook at Flowers of the night , or any other platform at Nocturnaflora .
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/nocturnaflora?igshid=MjEwN2IyYWYwYw==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nocturnaflora?mibextid=LQQJ4d
