Today, the community is remembering a young artist and musician from Debenham whose legacy can never be dimmed.
Those who knew and loved Alfie Carpenter will gather this evening for a gig and exhibition paying tribute to his memory.
In each of Alfie’s paintings of the Suffolk landscape, there is always a distant horizon. This was because Alfie himself always looked to the future, explained his mother, Kate Scott.
“That was how he lived his life,” she said. “Alfie was always unapologetically and authentically himself, in every situation.
“He made the most of every single moment.”
Alfie was born on October 11, 1989, and moved to Debenham with his family at the age of four.
Kate and her husband, Michael Carpenter, always encouraged their three children to explore their creativity.
Alfie and his brother, Gus, and sister, Hannah, grew up surrounded by artists and musicians, and Alfie’s own innate talent was apparent from an early age. Aged eight, he sat down at the piano beside a friend of his parents’, and surprised everyone when he began to play an improvised jazz accompaniment. He also played clarinet, saxophone, violin and guitar, and was particularly known for his singing.
Although he was primarily known as an artist, Alfie decided to study music at Leeds University, because he wanted to develop his skills as a musician.
Whilst in his second year, Alfie was diagnosed with leukaemia for the first time.
This was an incredibly difficult time in his life. Kate explained that Alfie spent eight of the next 12 months in hospital, and the treatment lasted two years.
However, Alfie was determined that cancer would not define him. He continued to study hard, sometimes attending lectures just hours after treatment, and graduated with a first-class degree. His final, powerful performance became the standard other students aspired to, with Alfie’s tutor describing it as the most extraordinary performance the college had ever seen.
After university, Alfie once more threw himself into his art. His love of the East Anglian landscape shone through in his work, and Alfie would go on to sell around 1,800 paintings over the next 10 years.
He showcased his art many times, with one particularly memorable exhibition with his music partner, Kimberly Moore, held at the Salthouse Church in Norfolk in 2017.
Alfie had written pieces of music to go with many of his paintings, and he and Kimberly played these compositions live. The effect, said Kate, was breath-taking.
Alfie generously shared his art and music with others. He gave many art and music workshops to children with special needs, and also joined the Frozen Light theatre company during his years living in Norwich, creates shows tailored for people with learning disabilities.
Working at the Sybil Andrews Academy in Bury St Edmunds, he found a unique way of engaging with the students. Alfie would leave envelopes all over the school which said, ‘Read me!’. Intrigued, the pupils would discover invitations from Alfie, telling them to come to his classroom to share their hopes and visions for the school and humanity.
Some students would suggest words like love, peace and hope. Others would cheekily tell Alfie that they felt there ought to be more unicorns in the world.
Whatever their suggestions, Alfie listened and took note, and incorporated their thoughts into an enormous landscape painting.
In June 2022, Alfie learned that his leukaemia had returned. He spent the next year being treated between Ipswich and Cambridge.
Although the next year was difficult, Alfie remained determined to spend time with those he loved and to make the most of every moment.
Two weeks before he died, Alfie married his husband, Johnny.
“I think he always thought after his first bout of cancer that his time might be limited,” said Kate.
“He made sure to leave his music and his art, because he wanted to be remembered.
He wanted to leave little bits of his soul – Horcruxes, as he called them – for other people.
“He was an unbelievable inspiration.”
Alfie died on June 20, 2023.
The Alfie Carpenter Tribute Gig & Art Exhibition will be held at Norwich Arts Centre on Thursday, January 18, at 7pm. All proceeds will be donated to the Alfie Carpenter Fund, which offers financial support to young creatives taking their first steps.
Also playing will be legendary drummer Ash Soan and Alfie’s former band, Knobs & Knockers.
Alfie’s parents would like to thank Kimberly Moore, Mary Wakelin and Martha Turville-Petre, who have been instrumental in organising this event.
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