Who we are & why we are

Welcome to the gallery site of Broken Light Collective. We are artists of all levels and abilities who are affected by mental illness. We create and we share our work for the therapeutic benefits to us, as well as others who may be struggling and feeling scared and alone. Together we can move from disconnected to collective.

Photos taken by Jan Austin Smith, a 27-year-old man living in Northern California. His mother, a Psychiatrist, has depression, and his closest aunt is bipolar, so he has been around people with mental health issues his whole life, and has a tremendous amount of compassion for them. He thinks that mental issues are so maligned in the dominant culture, it is tragically sad. Jan has also suffered from depression and anxiety himself, which has been hugely exacerbated by disabling chronic nerve pain in his knees, and 5 knee surgeries. On his website, TheRewildWest, he writes about human, Earth, and animal liberation, as well as displays his beloved nature photography. He’s also a novelist, and editor/book reviewer for the Green Theory and Praxis Journal.

About the photos: “These photographs were shot at Mono Lake in northeastern California. This is one of my favorite places in the world, a magical place. In fact, it is–in terms of sheer biomass of life–the most biologically rich lake in the world. Its waters are filled with salt and carbonates and sulfates from surrounding volcanic activity, and this creates a water density that allows you to float without even trying. Being in nature soothes my tormented psyche, helps me escape from the mental and physical trauma of living in an increasingly industrialized, unnatural, polluted, breakneck-speed society. Floating in Mono Lake connected me to that special place even more. And it just plain felt great!”

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**Visit Broken Light’s main gallery here. Currently accepting submissions.

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15 responses to “Mono Lake Healing”

  1. TheRewildWest Avatar

    Thank you SO VERY MUCH for featuring my pictures and words. I am beyond honored =)

    –Love and Liberation–

    Jan @ TheRewildWest

    Liked by 1 person

  2. TheRewildWest Avatar

    Reblogged this on Rewild the West, and All the Rest! and commented:
    I am tremendously honored to have my photos/words featured today on Broken Light Photography, a wonderful blog about people with mental illness and their photos and stories. Please check them out! Mental illness is horrible stigmatized in the dominant culture, but it is fundamentally NO DIFFERENT than any other illness–in fact, other illnesses (e.g. heart disease, diabetes) often have bad lifestyle habits contributing to them, whereas mental illnesses are a product of the stress and pollution and sociopathology of industrial civilization!

    Like

    1. TheRewildWest Avatar

      Thank you so much, Brenda ❤

      Like

  3. rommel Avatar

    Awesome pics! Please allow me to use this link for my Bucket List page.

    Like

    1. TheRewildWest Avatar

      Absolutely, rommel, I would be honored!!

      Like

  4. Galen Avatar

    Fascinating images… thank you…

    Like

    1. TheRewildWest Avatar

      Thank you, Galen.

      Like

  5. EvelynWeiss Avatar
    EvelynWeiss

    Perfect.

    Like

    1. TheRewildWest Avatar

      Aww, much like someone I know!

      Like

  6. The Lioness Avatar

    Very moving, solitude-inspiring photographs. Thanks for posting them!
    The Lioness

    Like

    1. TheRewildWest Avatar

      Thank you for the kind words!! ❤

      Like

  7. blackpanther01 Avatar

    Wow, that is sooooo Awesome Jan!

    Like

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