I’m Bonnie Steward, the artist and founder of BISH ART, based near Porthleven, Southwest Cornwall. My passion lies in transforming beach-cleaned plastic waste into captivating artwork that highlights our shared responsibility to protect and sustain the beauty of the ocean, wildlife, and landscapes.

Growing up on the Cornish Coast, beach cleaning has been a lifelong practice. These cleans not only preserve our environment but also provide the materials for my art. I collect plastic waste and transform these materials into intricate collages that depict the locations where they were found. My artwork, often over a metre in size, is a layered tapestry of plastic waste, meticulously arranged to resemble local landmarks, wildlife, and landscapes. From afar, my creations may look like paintings, but up close, recognizable logos and words reveal the alarming truth that these plastics will persist in our oceans for thousands of years.

Inspired by waste materials from a young age, I began creating collages from bottle tops and mosaics from damaged tiles and glass. At sixteen, I created my first BISH ART piece—a depiction of the Porthleven Clocktower—demonstrating my commitment to addressing plastic pollution.

My artistic process involves patience, meticulousness, and passion. Each piece is like solving a puzzle, gradually coming together with each unique find from my beach cleans. The unpredictability of what washes up on the beach adds to both the challenge and charm of my work.

Through BISH ART, I strive to create pieces that people are drawn to from materials we too often look away from, capturing the beauty of wildlife and landscapes while promoting environmental conservation.