A year of Community Co-creation
Visions of Biophilia was a community-engaged art project led by Desirée Patterson, the 2024 Artist in Residence at Richmond Nature Park. The program invited Richmond residents of all ages to explore photography as a tool for environmental connection and creative expression. Over 200 participants took part in seasonal workshops that combined guided nature walks with hands-on sessions in digital and alternative photographic methods, including chlorophyll prints, anthotypes, cyanotypes, and lumen processes.
At the culmination of the residency, a 52-foot public artwork was installed at the park; a visual celebration of a year of collaboration, learning and artistic exploration. The mural is composed of over 300 participant-made images and reflects the ecological and geological history of the site. Flowing river lines and a delta motif draw from satellite imagery of the Fraser River, while a mountainous collage representing Mt. Robson (its headwaters) anchors the work. Ice crystal cyanotypes symbolize the last ice age and the Arctic plant migrations that shaped the park’s rare peat bog ecosystem.
This site-specific installation stands as both a vibrant and an educational legacy, honouring Richmond’s unique landscape and the creative spirit of its community.
