St Ives transitioned from a busy pilchard fishing port into a center for the British avant-garde following the arrival of the railway in 1877. The town’s unique light and 270-degree sea views attracted artists like Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson, whose abstract work was directly inspired by the coastal landscape. This creative community also included local figures like retired fisherman Alfred Wallis, who used ship paint and cardboard to document his maritime memories, blending the town’s industrial roots with modern art.