Talent, Persistence and Equestrian Sculpture with Amy Goodman

Today, Lucy Branch talks to Amy Goodman,  who is probably known best for her Equestrian sculptures such as the much loved, Romsey War Horse and Pegasus and Bellerophon,  but to only mention them would do her a huge dis-service as she’s also the creator of some incredible military monuments, portraits as well as breath-taking abstract sculpture.  Her focus is always to capture the movement and character of her subjects whether that’s bronze portraiture or a few lines of steel. Join us for a In this episode and BE INSPIRED BY SCULPTURE as Amy discusses her creative journey and motivation to become a sculptor, her inspiration and what it takes to be a professional sculptor. You can find a transcription of the interview and images of Amy Goodman’s work at  https://sculpturevulture.co.uk/sculpture-vulture-blog/ Get your free novel about the dark side of the art world from https://sculpturevulture.co.uk/a-rarer-gift-than-gold/ This podcast was brought to you by Antique Bronze Snippet from the interview: Lucy Branch: I began our discussion today by asking her, if she’d always been creative? Amy Goodman: Yes, I’ve always loved art. I love drawing, painting and making things. Also, from a really young age I was resolving ideas in 3D, making sculptural objects like animals and horses. I’ve always loved to challenge myself by making really complicated things, and nature has always fascinated me. So really, even though I was academic, I always gravitated towards the arts. When I got to the GCSE and A-level phase later on in school, arts, pottery and sculpture were the subjects that I naturally went into. Lucy Branch: Fantastic. So was there somebody, like a role model at home, that kindled that interest? Amy Goodman: I think it was always in me. My mum could draw and get a likeness of things and I believe my grandfather, who I didn’t know very well, was quite a talented painter in his spare time. But really, it was something that I’d always just gravitated to and had an affinity with. I used to get accused of watching, I think I was a natural observer. I loved to watch what was going on around me and record it. For instance, in my pottery classes when I was 15, I loved to stay after school late into the evening. I just was fascinated by it. I had to make the most complicated things possible. I once made a “George and the dragon” with outstretched wings, and I gave George a lance for the poor dragon. I loved the challenge, how you have to be an engineer. You’ve got to think about balance and center of gravity, although I didn’t have words for them back then. You’ve really got to know about balance of form and volume, and how they relate to each other, to have a successful freestanding sculpture.