Remarkable lives: Clare Campbell in conversation with Jerome Carson
| Pages | 12-16 |
| Date | 14 March 2016 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-12-2015-0044 |
| Published date | 14 March 2016 |
| Author | Clare Campbell,Jerome Carson |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Social inclusion |
Remarkable lives: Clare Campbell in
conversation with Jerome Carson
Clare Campbell and Jerome Carson
Clare Campbell is Independent
Trainer and Consultant at
Liverpool, UK.
Jerome Carson is Professor
of Psychology at Department
of Psychology, University of
Bolton, Bolton, UK.
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to provide a profile of Clare Campbell.
Design/methodology/approach –Clare provides a short autobiographical account of her life. Clare is then
interviewed by Jerome and describes the life enhancing impact of creativity in her own life.
Findings –Clare describes her work initially with Wild Woman workshops and then Big Love Sista.
Research limitations/implications –Big Love Sista started when some 40 women all came and painted
self-portraits in Clare’s house, which led to an exhibition of 100 life sized portraits on women in recovery from
difficult life events.
Practical implications –Apart from the healing power of Art, Clare’s work shows the power of bringing
leaders together with disadvantaged groups, using the medium of the circle to provide unique experiential
change.
Social implications –Community leaders have access to lots of resources and opportunities. In coming
together with disadvantaged groups, they can serve as role models, but equally they can be inspired by those
they encounter in the medium of the circle.
Originality/value –Clare and those colleagues she has worked with over the years has shown the power of
community and the transformative effects of groupwork. Few individuals can have had such a dramatic effect
on so many people.
Keywords Creativity, Art, Liverpool, Depression, Big Love My Brother, Big Love Sista
Paper type Case study
Introduction
The first time I met Clare was in her studio in the Centre of Liverpool, which looks out across the
city. The meeting, arranged through a mutual acquaintance, was to discuss how we might help
evaluateher latest project, Big Love My Brother.This was a follow-on projectto the very successful
Big Love My Sista,which she had developed a few yearsearlier. She invited me to join thefirst Big
Love My Brother workshop as a participant. Hence I was able to witness first-hand the amazing
abilities of thiswoman and the highly professional colleaguesshe worked with. I joined in with “the
lads and leaders”as we witnessed the transformative power of groupwork. Clare is not only a
talented artist and group facilitator, but also an accomplished poet (Campbell, 2010).
Brief biography by Clare Campbell
We are all dancing somewhere between derelict and divine.
I was born in Liverpool in 1973. It is such a brilliant city full of hope and despite its bleakness and
struggles at time it has great vision and spirit, this gritty landscape has mirrored my own life
journey in many ways and I am so grateful for it.
PAG E 12
j
MENTALHEALTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION
j
VOL. 20 NO. 1 2016, pp. 12-16, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308 DOI 10.1108/MHSI-12-2015-0044
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