Places&Faces® | September 2013
LOOK OUT
FOR AMY
Everyone knows the UK art world revolves
around London - but a Victorian
beach lookout tower in Suffolk is starting
to make waves too. Anne Gould talks
to sculptor Amy Stephens
30 | placesandfaces.co.uk
Amy Stephens
blank canvas, a clean piece of
paper, or perhaps in this modern
world even a new document,
has a sort of romanticism that’s
supposed to spark creativity.
The artists, the musicians, the poets and
writers of this world are apparently inspired
by vast emptiness and have a desire to
create and mould it into something new,
revolutionary and special.
In reality, as those who have stared
with inertia and bewilderment at a clean
unsullied notebook will know only too
well, inspiration often has to come from
elsewhere.
That’s just what is being provided at the
Aldeburgh South Beach Lookout Tower,
which has a growing national reputation for
creating new art work, though innovative
week-long artists residencies.
Scores of artists, including noted Royal
Academicians and the greatest names in
British contemporary art have now done a
residency at the Beach Lookout, each using
their unique talents to create something
beautiful and different.
musician Benjamin Britten and in a building
that was used by author, philosopher and
Government advisor, Sir Laurens van der Post
as a writing retreat, sounds idyllic.
But what’s it like having a deadline?
Especially for artists who maybe have honed
their skills to producing work that takes time
and consideration to create?
To find out more Places&Faces visited
artist Amy Stephens at the beginning and
end of her residency. Amy, whose work has
been internationally acclaimed, has been on
residencies before – in Iceland, Canada and
the Irish Musuem of Modern Art in Dublin –
but she says Aldeburgh is unusual for being
short and that she was asked for a title for her
work before she began.
“It’s not the first time I’ve been to Suffolk.
As a family our holidays were in Southwold,
so this place has a nostalgia, it’s like coming
home. I’m very lucky to be here and very
excited about what I’m going to do.
“There’s an element when you are away
from home that you can be more daring, more
confident. When I do not show in London it’s
different.”
would be unable to use any of the processes
that she normally uses in her work – which
involve spraying with car paint and flocking.
But, being forced to use a different medium
was “good” – her initial plans were to use
photographs and possibly paint on them.
“I don’t have the comfort zone or time
which means I have to think differently and
create different sort of work.
“Normally if I have a solo exhibition I’ll be
working on it for six months solid beforehand.”
So how to start - to begin with she walked
round Aldeburgh looking at the buildings
taking pictures and first impressions were
mostly about the beautiful light in and around
the beach.
“The Tower has three different levels and
the light is different in each which is great.
This place is very relaxing and because I’m
away from home I feel much more confident
about trying new things.”
Talking to Amy at the end of the week, just
before the launch of her show, comprised
mainly of photographic images it was
clear that she’s been won over Suffolk and
Aldeburgh.
“I’ve spent my time working in Aldeburgh
but I also went to Leiston and got my
photographs printed at Leiston Press.
Working in the Lookout had been an “amazing”
“I started with 50 images but ended up
experience. “It’s unique, it’s by the sea but it’s more than
with seven that I’ve then added coloured
living by the sea. For an artist it’s a total dream come true. forms that represent specific measurements
from the space in and around the Lookout.
“It’s very exciting because it’s a totally new
They are each invited, by art dealer
Amy, whose work is usually connected with media for me and I’m planning to go back
Caroline Wiseman who owns the tower, to
architecture and architectural spaces says
to my studio, at Voltare, in Clapham and will
spend time in Aldeburgh to create a body of residencies are the most important part of her use this technique in the future but use much
work that is then exhibited on the Saturday. practice because they provide inspiration for
bigger prints instead.”
A week by the seaside, living and working up to two years after.
Working in the Lookout had been an
on a magical beach that inspired genius
She came to Aldeburgh knowing that she
“amazing” experience. “It’s unique, it’s by the
sea but it’s more than living by the sea. For an
artist it’s a total dream come true.
“It does get cold here at night – I worked
until 10.30pm one night and 12.30am on
another but there’s a little log fire here so you
don’t get cold.
“I am coming back here again because a
friend is having a show here later in the summer
but beyond that I will definitely be keeping and
touch and will be visiting Suffolk again.
“What’s also great is that there is a big
artists community down here and that Suffolk
people are so supportive of the arts.”
INFORMATION
For more information:
www.amystephens.co.uk
www.aldeburghbeachlookout.com
Places&Faces®
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