Participatory Art Workshops For Adults
Structured creative sessions for adults of all backgrounds.
Trained in the PhotoVoice ethical methodology, my sessions are flexible and can run from one to four days, tailored to the specific needs of the client and participants. Whether delivered as part of a wider programme or as a standalone workshop, each session achieves clear learning outcomes through a collaborative creative process. I am DBS checked and fully insured.
DARKNESS TO DAWN: RECLAIMING YOURSELF AFTER HG
SCIENCE GALLERY LONDON
6 adults, including two perinatal midwives
One day
Part of The Hidden Mothers exhibition at Science Gallery London, supported by One King’s Impact.
Participants’ collaborative artwork was displayed alongside the exhibition at the gallery.
This participant-led creative photography workshop for adults introduced participants who have suffered from Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) in pregnancy to the art of visual storytelling through contemporary photography.
Often lasting three to six months, HG is particularly traumatic for sufferers during the most vulnerable time of motherhood. The constant nausea and vomiting, severe dehydration, with potential hospitalisation, result in long-term psychological effects that can lead to suicidal ideation and prevent future pregnancy.
The participants were asked to create or send existing personal images in response to the theme: what you want people to know about the impact HG has had on you.
The session began with a presentation of each participant’s pictures and their stories, supported by trained perinatal midwives Jemma Martin (The HG Midwife, Bumps & Bubbles CIC) and Kelly Mitchell, Specialist Midwife for Perinatal Mental Health/Maternity.
Following the open discussion, participants were encouraged to add their selected prints to the gallery wall in a way that combined their stories and shared their message.
The final installation was left in place for the duration of the public exhibition, which was visited by public health clinicians and the general public.
“These are stories that need to be told, deserve to be heard and Clare has done them justice in this exhibition.” - Sarah, workshop participant
BERWICK CHURCH PUBLIC PROGRAMME
St Michael & All Angels CHURCH, BERWICK, East Sussex
Consultant Outreach & Engagement Officer
8 months
Working with Berwick Church to support their successful National Lottery Heritage Fund application.
Located in the South Downs National Park, the ancient Church in Berwick hosts an interior of modern murals painted by members of the Bloomsbury Group, including Duncan Grant, Quentin Bell and Vanessa Bell.
Originally commissioned during World War II, by 2018, the murals needed conservation. As part of the appeal for National Lottery Heritage Fund support, a lasting socially-engaged public programme was required.
The Berwick Church team and I held town hall meetings where residents could voice their ambitions and discuss ideas. Based on this feedback and my own research, I organised meetings with charities and community groups from Sussex that touched on connections with the Church's heritage.
We drew on the Church's tranquil location in the natural landscape, as well as its role as a touchstone for peace and respite when the Bloomsbury artists used painting to manage their wartime trauma.
The public programme reflected this as I established relationships with Towner Art Gallery, Charleston House, Arts in Mind, Blind Veterans UK and Brighton Oasis Project.
The programme also engaged with Cruse Bereavement, SOBBS, a charity supporting survivors of bereavement by suicide, St Wilfred’s Hospice and You Raise Me Up, a charity supporting families after the loss of a child.
Berwick Church now hosts an award-winning public programme that continues to engage with schools, artists and the local community through activities, events and artistic commissions.
Individuals and organisations of any kind can book an art workshop.
Get in touch over email with your details, including location and we’ll take it from there.