Behind Abbie’s inspiring lens
When we discovered Abbie Wilson’s work on Instagram, we had been grappling with some unusual challenges.
We had just learned that we would be campaigning with CMHA Kelowna to raise $2 million to support Foundry, a new integrated youth mental health care centre opening in Kelowna. We were excited to be a part of a campaign that could so dramatically impact the way in which youth access help for mental illness and substance use. But we were nervous too. The Not Alone campaign is unlike any other we have been part of in the past.
Featuring the stories and photos of real young people and families touched by this cause would be complicated. Unlike many of the other causes or advances in health care the KGH Foundation campaigns for, the issue of mental health is still riddled with stigma.
Yet there are so many young people affected who are eager to share their stories in a genuine offering to help others. Over the years, they have been stripped of choice because of their illnesses. We wanted to give them this very impactful outlet. But they are still so vulnerable. We found ourselves wanting to protect their identities but also give them the liberty to make their own choices.
And then quite randomly, I stumbled upon Abbie’s Instagram profile, @abbrosy.
Within a few seconds of scrolling through Abbie’s feed, there was something about the moody tones of the photos and her exquisite way of capturing both the raw emotion and the beauty of a perfectly imperfect moment. With over 4,600 followers, her carefully curated feed features images of friends, family, children, herself, nature, births and marriage, and simmers with both the struggle and redemption that characterizes the human experience. The images are different. Unapologetic. Real.
There is a level of depth about Abbie that far exceeds her 24 years. Beyond the photos, or perhaps within them, there is the story of a photographer and an artist who lives with bi-polar disorder and anxiety.
“My head is a carousel I can’t jump off of. I want to sleep but I’m wired and if I shut my eyes my head is a thousand horses around a track. Please mind, quiet down. Head, stop spinning. Heart, slow down. It’s safe to exist right now, I promise.” @abbrosy, Instagram
Having suffered concussions as a child, Abbie says her photography is a way for her to remember not just the moment, but also how she felt in that moment.
We know now that many young people living with mental illness are exceptionally creative and often find clarity and healing through art, photography and writing.
Engaging young people both as the creators and the subjects of our campaign material was the obvious answer to these questions we had been grappling with.
We reached out to Abbie and asked if she would help us with the Not Alone campaign. She agreed. The resulting images are beautiful, nuanced and layered, just like the subjects they represent — artful and real reflections of those living with mental illness.
“I believe in connection over perfection, in telling your stories as they come and happen, in creating a comfortable place for you to be yourselves and to celebrate your love or process your life,” reads Abbie’s bio on her website. “I will ALWAYS choose an emotional photo over a perfect one.”
We have referred back to these words often and allowed them to inform our choices. Connection over perfection.
The community has embraced the Not Alone campaign in a remarkable way. Photos and videos have been shared thousands of times on social media. Many families and young people have shared that they been moved and inspired by Abbie’s art and have seen within it, a reflection of themselves.