Surf's Up

When Alison Bick pored over old photographs of her family surfing on Cornish beaches, it inspired a range of designs depicting the simple joy of a day at the beach with a bellyboard in tow.

- Alice Wright

‘The sea and the beach are where I clear my head and get my ideas,’ explains Cornish designer Alison Bick, describing her early morning coastal walks with her Labradoodle, Rufus. Stepping out of her home, overlooking the Gannel Estuary in Newquay, Alison can be down by the water in moments. If it’s high tide Rufus will have a swim before they head along the estuary to its mouth and the golden expanse of Crantock Beach. The time she spends wandering on the shoreline, picking up shells and pebbles, is vital for Alison as she prepares for a busy day in her garden studio. ‘I’m not just drawing inspiration from what’s around me, I find walking on the shore a levelling experience too,’ she says. ‘I try to do it mindfully, in between throwing a ball for Rufus.’

Alison set up her design business in 2015 and now it’s taking off, with stockists including Rick Stein’s restaurants and Newlyn Art Gallery, and she works seven days a week on jaunty illustrations that grace prints, silk scarves, greetings cards and mugs. After another beach walk in the early evening, and maybe a sea swim or a belly boarding session with her partner, Peter, on his return from work, she often finds herself sneaking back to the studio. The hours are long, but the contentment she finds in running her own business is worth every minute.

CORNISH CHARACTER