Rising Stars: Meet Jamie Lee Campbell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Lee Campbell. 

Hi Jamie Lee, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have always had a passion for art since I can remember. 

I found comfort in locking myself in a room and having a blank piece of paper in front of me. 

When I was 10, I would write… a lot. Often, I found myself struggling with putting my feelings into words. So, I put my feelings into my art instead. I began doodling in my journal, and that’s where it all started. It became therapy for me. It became meditation. I didn’t realize it at the time, I was only 10. 

When I was 11, my family and I moved from upcountry CA to Hawaii! I was scared. But I remember thinking “I can create art anywhere in the world. My sketchbook can come with my on the plane” And that thought alone helped me through the transition. 

In Hawaii, my art became more than a hobby, it became my sanity. 

I moved to Michigan from Hawaii 6 years ago, and it seemed that every move, every transition in my life, I clung to my art even more. 

I developed my true “style” here in Michigan. I started working with acrylic on canvas, and that quickly became my favorite form of art. 

I missed my family, and I put all of that into art. I experienced grief, loss, hurt, and pain. I put it all on canvas. I would pick the colors that represented my feelings, meditated on what I was feeling, and just let go. No expectations, just feeling what I needed to feel, and create. Make something out of the pain, make something out of nothing. 

You can express yourself without even speaking, and that is beautiful. 

I do believe art has kept me true to myself all these years. 

Mandalas appeared in many of my artworks. A mandala generally represents the spiritual journey, starting from outside to the inner core, through layers. Each mandala captured a different part of my journey, and looking back on each canvas, I see a different layer of life I made it through. 

To put it simply, 

art saved my life and continues to save my life again and again. I am thankful that I never gave up on the journey, and that Grand Rapids has offered me so many beautiful opportunities and ways to share my story. 

I feel truly blessed to add art to the beautiful city here and share my story. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have encountered many obstacles, and to be honest. I have always been my biggest obstacle. As an artist, you tend to overthink, overwork, or criticize yourself more than you should. 

Getting out of my own way is challenging at times. 

I have to continuously remind myself that- 

“It’s supposed to be messy; it’s supposed to be fun; it’s allowed to be imperfect.” 

I have to let go of control and have fun with it. 

Art isn’t meant to be one type of way! 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I work as a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) – with this job, I experience a lot of grief and a lot of heavy emotion. 

I am most proud of my empathy. 

Art has helped me center myself, when I am feeling overstimulated by others’ emotions and feelings, perhaps even my own. 

So, in my professional life, I think I am able to remain so centered because I do have the outlet of art. 

I use my empathy to remain present, and helpful to the residents at my job. 

When they feel lost, I can feel that loss, but I learn to not let if bog me down. Instead, I find ways to acknowledge their pain without taking away from it. 

Human emotion is so natural. 

I am most proud of my empathy, and that I was blessed with the heart to care for others. 

My life calling is to be a nurse, and to create art. I am very proud of that. 

We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Something surprising that most people might not know about me is that I sit on the floor crossed legs, and a hunched back. I spent money on a desk, and still can only create when I am sitting on the floor! I don’t know why, but I think that would surprise some people! People often assume art happens at a clean desk. That couldn’t be further from the truth. My art area is all over the floor, and I wouldn’t have it any other way! 

Contact Info:

• Email: jamieleemoonbeam@gmail.com
• Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MoonbeamMandalas
• Instagram: moonbeamscreations