‘Stour Surrounding – Artists and the Valley’ is a documentary film that takes a look at artists both past and present who have responded to the landscape of the Stour Valley. In the film we hear how this special landscape – of John Constable, Thomas Gainsborough, Cedric Morris and Alfred Munnings – continues to shape and speak to the work of contemporary artists today. Moving between studio interviews and beautiful footage across the valley we hear from painter and sculptor Maggi Hambling who speaks of ‘absorbing’ the landscape, and from Simon Carter, and May Cornet who talk expressively about how they respond to the Stour Valley and landscape in their own individual ways.
Other artists featured are Michael Carlo, Chris Dobrowolski, Freddie Robins, Alex Robbins, Charlotte Verity and Andrew Vass.
The film has been produced by artist and gardener Jevan Watkins Jones with Offshoot Films. It was commissioned by the ‘Improving the Stour Valley for Visitors’ project, which is hosted by the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and is funded by The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.