Bonnie Steward

Preferred Medium: ‘Human-made’ materials that are often single-use (mostly plastics) that are washed up into our shores.

Subject Matter: Plastic Pollution

Inspiration: Coastlines of Cornwall

About The Artist

I am Bonnie Steward, aged 24, an upcoming artist (raising awareness of plastic pollution) in SW Cornwall. My artwork is created from plastics/waste materials collected on beach cleans (rubBISH), creating original collages from all materials collected in the location I depict.

I work on large scales, my collages take many months to create, collecting rubbish, cleaning, arranging, and layering. In my artwork you will find, crisp packets, toothbrushes, plastic wrappers, tennis balls, fishing equipment and much more. My work is never finished until I find everything, either washed ashore or discarded on the beach, this is another reason the process is lengthy (all materials are picked up from the area I depict).

Each of my pieces takes months of layering, it’s a process that involves patience, meticulousness, and passion for the work I create. I beach clean and then depict the area; for example, creating the art piece ‘Lockdown- Porthleven Harbour Boat’ (all materials I collected in Porthleven harbour and beach).

I have beach cleaned for as long as I can remember, creating my first piece at the age of sixteen in college, where all my books were dedicated to plastic pollution. I am actively involved in raising awareness and educating individuals/groups, for example, the use of upcycled materials for creative expression.

I only use ‘human-made’ materials that are often single-use (mostly plastics) that are washed up into our shores. I also create rope sculptures, most recently a life-size fishing rope human called MOR (completely made from fishing rope, nets, and lines). I am trying to create something that people want to look at, based on something we too often look away from. It is hard to acknowledge the damage and destruction that has and continues to be caused, so BISH is my statement. I aim to capture the beauty of wildlife and sea/landscapes, whilst addressing our shared responsibility to protect, restore and sustain them.

Sharkfin Media’s Service

I have worked with Sharkfin Media for a number of years. Sharkfin Media are professional, reliable, and friendly and have a high standard of excellent service. Dan professionally digitalises my original artwork and captures it beautifully; my collages are large, textured and 3 dimensional.

With these professional images, they are processed into a run of limited edition prints; printed on textured Juno Fine Art paper. All my limited edition prints are printed at Sharkfin Media, the result is fantastic.