Connected by the Ocean: The stories behind our First Wave campaign

The Ocean Bottle x Liberty London First Wave collection marks the beginning of Currents: a long-term collaboration inspired by the movement of ideas, materials and cultures across the ocean. 

To tell the story of the collection, we worked with members of Cornwall’s coastal community, each of whom introduced us to their own crafts and spoke with us about their personal connection with the ocean. 

Read on to discover the ocean people who helped us anchor Currents: First Wave in their own words. 

I am a Cornwall based painter who captures the essence of the landscape through abstract studies of colour and shape. Cornwall, in particular West Penwith, has always had a strong presence in both my life and work. With family roots in Cornwall, the coast quickly became a subject matter within my painting from an early age, initially drawn to its vast scale and rich colour compositions. Simply noticing and being in the landscape allowed me to form an understanding of its ever changing identity which in turn has shaped how I live as an individual on the coast. 

Swimming with my Grandma in the bathing pool at Porthtowan holds core memories from my childhood. Porthtowan, on the north coast of Cornwall goes back six generations in our family - my great grandfather helped to build the wall that formed the bathing pool in the late 1920’s and my Grandma was a surf life saver in the early 1950’s, so there is a magical heritage to this place that I always go back to. 

I find the sea to be a tonic in my life in so many ways… the constant movement of the water, the daily coming and going of the tides, and the different energy the sea holds between seasons has an ever changing influence on my mindset as an individual and as a painter. I find the horizon allows a sense of optimism and openness, a feeling I struggle to find when the sea isn’t present. 

Nature and the coast form part of my everyday in so many ways, often shifting seasonally. In the lighter, warmer months, most mornings begin with a swim and a coffee, sometimes with friends, sometimes by myself - a ritual that sets me up for the day. In winter, there is a 

crispness to the air surrounding the ocean early in the morning that gives clarity, paired with the post studio walks in the almost dark where the soundscapes of the ocean override all other senses. 

Forming friendships that have grown from a shared love of Cornwall and the ocean is something I feel very lucky to have. A love of swimming, walking the coast, cooking outside, being in the sea… 

In terms of location, the Helford has deepened by connection to the coast over the past years. It’s somewhere I’ll escape to from the studio if I want to switch off, swim and feel really present in nature. There is a softness to the Helford I always find calming - I think it’s the presence of the trees and woodland that line the water… the divide between land and sea which is rather special. 

I teach the art of foraging to groups of all ages, and love the simple act of slowing down and really tuning in to the more-than-human world that foraging fosters - noticing the plants and wildlife, the rich tapestry of life, the rhythm of the seasons. A big part of teaching foraging for me is about helping others find moments of calm and stillness in their busy lives, and appreciating nature in general as much as it is about showing them what plants they can eat.

I've lived and worked in Cornwall for over 15 years now, and 2 rivers have been a huge part of my life here - The Fal and the Helford. Both have so many good memories associated with them, but the Helford edges it with a particularly special memory. Several years ago, while at anchor on a friend's boat at night, I noticed there was bioluminescence in the water. Now, I'd seen it before, but never as vivid before or since, and I remember just calling out to my friends to tell them to come and look, and within the space of a minute everybody was stripping off and diving into the water and just whooping with awe and delight at the light show in the water.

With my job I spend a lot of my life outdoors, and being in nature always helps me feel grounded and part of a bigger picture. Walking along the South West Coast Path in particular always seems to set thoughts in motion and is a source of endless inspiration. All seasons have their own special atmosphere, but Spring will always be my favourite, with the lengthening days, the greening of the leaves and the riot of colour from the wild flowers blooming.

I hope that my children will see a reverse in the declining health of the natural world in their lifetime, although I feel that things are going to get worse before they get better. Nevertheless nature is often incredibly resilient, and given a chance she'll bounce back. I'd like to see caring for nature 'trending' for everyone, for schools to teach children from a young age more about the natural environment so they grow up with a greater appreciation of blue and green spaces and value them more.

Each week, we grow food in our small market garden, go to farmers' market and run a farm shop by the coast. We create spaces where people can reconnect with where their food comes from - where they know the names of the growers and producers. In our shop you will find Cornish new potatoes alongside a women-owned hot sauce brand or home-made samosas. We believe food has the power to bring people together, whether that's around the table, in the garden or through conversations. Seeing people become more connected to the land and one another is what inspires us every day.

Mark: My happiest childhood memories are spending time at my grandparents' chalet on Hayle Towans. It was there that I learnt to swim, played endless games of cricket on the beach and fell in love with the ocean. As a Cornish boy, I always respected the sea, however spending time in this special place I appreciated that something which gives us so much joy also deserves our care and protection.

Bina: I lived in St Ives and the town has a unique blue spectrum and, it is true what the artists say, the light appears different here. But to choose just one place is hard. Water appears in Bengali folklore and poetry - defining our relationships through river-to-sea ecologies. In essence, when I visit a body of water, it holds the power to transport me across the Indian Ocean. On a winter dog walk on the sand dunes with Mark, I am reminded of how the melting Himalayan snows and inland rivers fuse directly into the tidal saltmarshes and the Bay of Bengal. 

The Porthleven community has been a huge part of our journey. Life here is shaped by the sea - people come together over food and drink, fishermen head out before dawn, and the harbour forms the backdrop to everyday life. Mark starts early in the field and watches the fishing boats leave as the town wakes. In summer, families gather around the harbour, cooling off in the water and enjoying long evenings together. In winter, the storms remind us who's really in charge, with waves powerful enough to crash over the clock tower. It's a place where people don't try to conquer nature but learn to live alongside it, adapting to its rhythms. We feel incredibly lucky to call this coastline home.

Our hope is that future generations will inherit healthy oceans full of life and coastal communities that are thriving. We would love for children to experience the same freedom we did - exploring rock pools, swimming in clean water, enjoying family picnics by the water, and feeling connected to the natural world. We all have a responsibility to protect these spaces so that sense of wonder is never lost.

Explore Currents: First Wave, the Ocean Bottle x Liberty London collection online at Ocean Bottle, or online and in store at Liberty.