The small Cornish seaside town of St Ives has been transformed into a world-famous arts hotspot.
Traditionally, fishing was the main industry and visitors in the past would have found a working harbour full of boats catching mackerel, pilchards and herring.
Fishing continues, although to a lesser extent: today around 600,000 tourists arrive annually, many of them for cultural reasons.
How did it all begin? The answer has to do with two key local ingredients: a beautiful landscape and a local light of remarkable clarity.
JMW Turner was the first major artist to be seduced (in 1811), and he was followed by many others in the 19th century, including Walter Sickert and James Whistler.
Cream of Cornwall: Sara Lawrence explores St Ives and its vibrant art scene. Above, a view of Porthmeor beach on the doorstep of Tate St Ives
Sara reveals that artists have been drawn to St Ives for decades because of its “beautiful scenery, plus the remarkable clarity of the local golden light”
Then, as the fishing industry began to dry up at the end of the century, the new railway lines attracted even more visitors with easels and chisels, including British ceramicist Bernard Leach and his Japanese friend Shoji Hamada (who founded the iconic Leach Pottery in 1920), as well as sculptor Barbara Hepworth.
In the 1950s a new generation of avant-garde artists arrived, forming the St Ives School, which became a central element in the development of British art.
This cultural importance of St Ives was cemented when the Tate opened a branch in the west in 1993. Standing proudly on the cliffs overlooking Porthmeor beach, overlooking the Atlantic, this gallery is spectacular, engaging and a must-see; the latest exhibition is ‘Maresias’ by Beatriz Milhazes, a Brazilian abstract painter. Maresias means ‘salty sea breeze’ and Milhazes wanted to show her colourful, nature-inspired work in the same ocean as her Rio de Janeiro home.
“Between walks along the coast and a swim at one of the many sandy beaches nearby, there is plenty of art to be enjoyed,” says Sara. Above: Bamaluz Beach in St Ives
The Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden at Trewyn Studio is one of more than 40 art spaces in the city. Bronze and stone sculptures fill the subtropical garden, as seen here.
Next door is an exhibition of abstract works by Mark Rothko, the American who visited St Ives in 1959.
Meanwhile, the permanent collection contains pieces by modern British artists with ties to the area. Between invigorating walks along the coast – and perhaps a dip in the sea at one of the many sandy beaches nearby – you can enjoy plenty of art during your visit.
Porthmeor Studios are on the beachfront opposite the Tate. Built on 19th century sardine cellars, they now house the St Ives School of Painting and host resident artists.
With over 40 art spaces in the city, there is plenty to see. The Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden is at Trewyn Studio, where Hepworth lived and worked from 1949 until her tragic death in a fire in 1975.
The Sloop Inn, pictured, is one of Cornwall’s oldest inns, dating back to 1312. “It’s a favourite with fishermen, artists and tourists,” says Sara.
Bronze and stone sculptures fill the subtropical garden, while paintings, drawings and wooden pieces are displayed inside.
Up the hill from the cobbled streets of the town centre is Leach Pottery. The original workshops and kiln are now a museum and contemporary potters occupy a new studio.
West Cornwall’s food scene is also booming in St Ives. The Porthminster Beach Cafe specialises in sensational seafood and offers sublime views. The Sloop Inn, on the harbour, is one of Cornwall’s oldest inns, dating back to 1312. It’s a favourite with fishermen, artists and tourists.
With its whitewashed cottages, beaches and turquoise sea bathed in a romantic golden light, it’s easy to see why this seductive place inspires so many.
