Enjoying activities Making happy memories Living well with dementia
BLOSSOM ARTS was established by professional artist and arts and dementia specialist, Clare Carswell MA(RCA) in 2016.
In 2012 Clare became aware of the impact of dementia on the lives of friends in her community and decided to re-train to use her skills as an artist to offer meaningful support to them.
She was a bursary artist on the first FLOURISH arts & dementia artist training scheme run by the charity Creative Dementia Arts Network (CDAN). She now mentors other visual artists as they train to adapt their arts practice to work in this field.
Clare works closely with charities as well as other arts and dementia specialists in music, drama and dance to offer creative arts for those living with dementia in Oxfordshire.
Clare has run the Lights Up Arts Memory Clubs in the county for the charity Guideposts and is a registered Taking Part Scheme community artist for West Oxfordshire District Council.
Clare has extensive experience of working with people who live with dementia, in their own home, or in a residential care home. She has worked as Activity Coordinator at Spencer Court care home in Woodstock run by OSJCT.
She is a volunteer for the Oxfordshire Volunteer Befriending Network visiting elderly people isolated at home, offering companionship as well as respite to their families.
Clare is a Dementia Super Champion for the Alzheimers Society and gives Dementia Friends Information Sessions in the community for schools, local businesses, supermarkets, church groups etc She is a founder member of Dementia Friendly Charlbury and is the Chair of Dementia Friendly Chipping Norton.
Clare has an MA in Fine Art from the Royal College of Art London and exhibits widely in the UK and internationally. She has taught art for many years in Further and Higher education in the UK and abroad, as well as for children and adults in the community. She gives tuition and runs workshops at her studio in The Vale of White Horse.
She is a Creative Arts Industry Mentor and offers professional development to artists through COU COU the curatorial project that she runs. She curates the ART PITCH international residency programme and writes and lectures on contemporary art for ART INSIGHTS.
Clare's fees are consistent with UK Artist Union hourly
rates for experienced arts professionals.
Please contact her for further information.
Clare has up to date D&B checks, Public Liability Insurance and Class 1 Business Use car insurance.
Clare can supply excellent references.