Once he had saved up £50 he apparently left his clerical job in 1912, and set up a small studio in Bury St Edmunds, which he rented for 1s. a week. He went to London and sold enough work to take time off to take a course in fine art.

In 1913 he entered the Slade School of Fine Art under Professor Tonks. His first acceptance by the Royal Academy was in 1915 for a drypoint etching of St Paul’s, London. He became skilled in many media, including painting landscapes,etching, print making, and sculpting. He became noted as a painter of architectural subjects in Britain and on the continent.

Returning from London in 1915, he moved into what his obituary referred to as a "ramshackle farmhouse at Hawstead". This was the Old Hall at Hawstead, using it as a base to travel the country undertaking commissions.

In 1916, on the 16th June, there is a record of him as a member of the Territoral Force's 2/6th Battalion of the Essex Regiment. At the age of 32, his trade recorded as "Artist", he was discharged from the regiment at the Hutments at Thetford. His home address was The Old Hall, Hawstead, Bury St Edmunds. Although his military character was "Good", he was discharged in cosequence of, "Not likely to become an efficient soldier, Para. 392 (iii) (c) K.R. and medical grounds. Not caused by military service."

According to the Cavenham parish website, "in 1920, an engraving of a scene at Loch Katrine in Scotland caught the eye of a London art dealer and he was commissioned to complete a series of six Scottish scenes which sold well. His big break had finally come at the age of 37."

"Having been “discovered”, Blundell settled at the Mill and devoted himself largely thereafter to capturing the unique landscape of the Breckland area, using oils, pastels and watercolour as well as producing countless engravings."

He moved into Cavenham Mill in 1920 which had a first floor studio with huge windows. The 1921 census showed him as an artist living on his own account at The Mill House, Cavenham, Mildenhall. At this time the watermill was still in use. The miller's name was Pelham Mace and Blundell included him in oil paints and drypoints.

In 1921 the Sunday Mirror published this picture of Blundell painting at the mill. It was captioned "At work on a painting of his rustic home". His lifestyle amused the editor as another picture was captioned "Hermit Artist - Mr A R Blundell, the well known artist, is living the life of a recluse in an old mill in Suffolk. He does all his own housekeeping and cooking - (Sunday Pictorial exclusive)." "No need to worry about a laundry when there's a handy pool".

Alfred exhibited with the Stour Valley Group in 1922 an etching 'Pool and Tree at Cornard.'

"Also on exhibition are two new drypoints by Mr Jack Copeland - another of Bury's artists".

(You can read the full report by clicking on the newspaper thumbnail.)

Alfred married ("very quietly") at Mildenhall, Suffolk in 1933, Eva Ellen Chatten (27 October 1900 to 2 March 1973), third daughter of William Chatten and Diana Burroughs of Felixstowe. His wife, Eve, acted as his model for life drawings. She also supported his exhibitions with home made cakes and other produce. Occasionally she held cooking classes for clients.

In 1933 Alfred Blundell joined the teaching staff at the Methodist East Anglian School for Boys in Northgate Avenue, Bury St Edmunds. The school moved to Culford Hall in September, 1935, and Blundell's job was now located at the newly named Culford School. However, the premises in Northgate Avenue were now to become the new East Anglian School for Girls, and Blundell also became the art teacher for the girls. He would design and paint the scenery for school plays, as well as teach art.

Blundell taught art at Culford School from 1933 to 1945. The school still retains a gallery devoted to his work.

He was a member of Ipswich Art Club 1936-1946, exhibiting from Cavenham Mill House, Icklingham, Bury St Edmund's

He also exhibited at the Alpine Club Gallery; Walker Art Gallery; Manchester City Art Gallery; New English Art Club and at the Royal Academy.

In the 1930s he also exhibited at venues around Bury St Edmunds, including the Bury Framing Centre, Bury St Edmund's.

In the 1939 Register he was recorded as an artist & art master living at Cavenham Mill, Tuddenham with his wife Eva.

Productivity continued throughout the war time years. Blundell’s work became very popular with locally-based American servicemen during the war and post-war years. Accordingly, examples of work originating at Cavenham Mill, many featuring the mill house and stream, can now be found all over the world. He continued to produce a wide variety of work from his first-floor studio at the Mill until his death in 1968.

Even in old age Blundell continued to work and to exhibit whereever he could. In May, 1958, (aged 74) he held his first one man show at the Art Gallery in Bury St Edmunds. This drew a feature in the Bury Free Press where he was shown pictured with Mrs Edith Todd and Mr Dmitri Kratschkoff of Brandon. He showed 52 oils, 50 etchings and engravings and some engraved glassware, pottery and terracotta figurines, covering international, as well as local, scenes. (You can view the whole press report by clicking on the thumbnail.)

In 1959 Alfred Blundell FRSA of Cavenham Mill, Bury St Edmunds, was elected to a life fellow membership of the International Institute of Arts and Letters, according to the Newmarket Journal of March 19th, 1959. However, at present I can find no record of the FRSA attribution, which may be a mistake by the press.

He was prolific throughout his life in a variety of media. Blundell’s work consisted mainly of oil paintings, predominantly landscape, but with a number of flower studies, and over one hundred etchings and drypoints. He also executed watercolours, drawings, woodcuts and did glass engraving. His atmospheric drypoint etchings of the Breckland trees and streams are amongst his best known work.